German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium

University of Evansville Athletics

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Gallery: (7-1-2020) German American Bank Field

German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium held its first official game on March 10, 2020 and saw the Purple Aces earn a 5-4 win over Indiana University. The game was the debut of a transformational project that saw a full makeover of the facility, making it one of the most attractive baseball parks in the Midwest. Included in the renovations were a full Astroturf field, padded walls through- out the entire stadium with new fence lines down the first and third base lines, dugout and bullpen renovations as well as a new LED scoreboard. German American Bank teamed up with the University of Evansville to accomplish the renovations

This project would not have been possible without the generosity of the Braun Family, who led the way for the stadium to be built in time for the 1999 seasons. The facility is located on the north-end of the UE campus. Home to over 1,200 seats, including several-hundred chair-backed seats, Braun Stadium is a comfortable and inviting place to watch a ballgame.

The namesake for Braun Stadium was as dynamic and exciting as the new stadium itself. Charles H. Braun, Sr. was a man who excelled in both sports and business, and who always found a place in his heart for the Purple Aces. Born in 1910, Braun attended high school at nearby Evansville Memorial High School, which sits just a block away from the UE campus. While at Memorial, Braun showed his athletic prowess by lettering in football, basketball, and baseball for the Tigers.

After high school, Charles went to work in the construction industry, a trade that would bring him notoriety. Braun bought Industrial Contractors of Evansville in the early 1960s, and built the group up through his 35-plus years of service into one of the nation’s top construction companies. Charles and his wife, Margaret, have been long-time UE supporters over the years. Their two sons, Alan and Charlie, have continued that tradition as well, as Alan is a UE trustee, and Charlie was the Aces’ golf coach up until 2002. Charles, Sr. passed away on May 11,1998.

German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium features a large, enclosed press box which is named in honor of two of UE’s biggest supporters, Marv and Edie Bates. Marv Bates died tragically in the UE plane crash of 1977 that took the lives of the Purple Aces’ men’s basketball team. Bates broadcasted UE athletics, high school sports, and Evansville Triplet baseball games for over 25 years, and his warm voice and friendly call made him a sports legend in the city of Evansville. Marv’s wife, Edie, continued to be one of the biggest supporters of Purple Aces’ athletics until her passing at the age of 82.

Both UE dugouts are named after long-time UE supporters as well. The home dugout is named in honor of a person who personified what UE baseball is all about, former Purple Aces Club president, Meg Detwiler. Detwiler was an executive at Berry Plastics Corporation and served the longest tenure of any PAC president before passing away on August 26, 1999 after a long fight with cancer.

The visitors dugout is dedicated to the memory of William S. Parker, father of former UE baseball player, Michael Parker (1981-84). Michael Parker was a Heartland Collegiate Conference all-star in 1983 after hitting .293 with four home runs and 27 RBIs. His father, William, played basketball for the St. Louis Hawks.