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Les Murakami Stadium turns 22 years old in 2005. It was coined “the House that Les Built” on Jan. 30, 2002, renamed for Les Murakami, the school’s first Division I full-time head baseball coach.
Murakami, who took over the reins in 1971, spent 31 years at the helm of this fledgling program, literally erecting it from the ground to a national power in less than a decade.
With the help of political backers at Washington Place, like lobbyist Charlie Ushijima, UH was appropriated the money to build a state-of-the-art on-campus baseball facility. The project took less than nine months to complete and set the standards for big-time collegiate baseball.
On Feb. 17, 1984, the newly christened Rainbow Stadium opened its gates as UH hosted college baseball coaching legend Rod Dedeaux’s USC Trojans, which featured Sid Akins, Randy Johnson, and Mark McGwire.
The facility originally cost $11.2 million in 1984. In 1985, the roof, which was only the middle section, was extended down the first- and third-base lines along with AstroTurf over the entire playing surface, boosting the final cost to $12.2 million.
The stadium seats 4,312, with 3,738 of the seats covered to shelter the fans from the frequent “Manoa Mist.”
Rainbow baseball was its most prosperous between 1989-94 for two big reasons. First, in 279 home dates, UH posted a 69.9 winning percentage and went 195-84 at home. Secondly, attendance flourished, drawing 983,261 fans for a 3,524- average. What’s even more astonishing is it sold out 179 of those 279 dates.
Some of the architectural features include two concession stands, two sunken dugouts with separate locker room facilities, the new Grand Slam Booster Club room, a locker room for the umpires, the Verizon Academic Center complete with computers, a laundry room, and a training room. The two-tier press box is air-conditioned and carpeted, and has one radio and one television booth on opposite ends.
The facility is fan-friendly, attracting more than 2.5 million fans since opening in 1984. In the most attended season of 1992, UH fans set two milestones. First, on March 7, 1992, the one-millionth fan walked through the turnstiles. Secondly, Hawai‘i, at that time, set a school and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) attendance record of 208,378, which is now occupied by LSU.
In 2004, the big crowds returned to Les Murakami Stadium as the Rainbows averaged almost 2,500 in attendance per game, including their first sellout in five years on a Saturday night game vs. then- No. 3 Rice on May 8, 2004. The ’Bows didn’t dissappoint the packed house, taking a thrilling 6-5 victory.
The most recent additions to Les Murakami Stadium are the outfield dimensions moved in 15 feet all the way around and the wall lowered from 12 feet to 10 to try and add some offensive excitement for the island fans. The current dimensions are 325 down the lines, 365 to the gaps, and 385 to center. Advertisements along the wall give the stadium a minor-league look. Also, a new fiber-optic scoreboard/message board capable of showing TV replays was added in 2002. The 2003 agenda repainted the stadium outfield walls and dugouts, replaced some seats, and added a new backstop screen and netting, backstop padding, and a low chain-linked fence around the playing field.
Les Murakami Stadium has attracted numerous events throughout the years. The stadium has been home to two minor league teams – the 1986 Hawai‘i Islanders and Hawaii Winter Baseball’s Honolulu Sharks. The Hawai‘i Island Movers summer baseball club just completed its 18th season in the stadium. Other athletic events include the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association Baseball Championships, the Americans of Japanese Ancestry Baseball (AJA) state playoffs, Police Activities League opening ceremony, Best of the West High School Tournament, the UH Athletics Department Fun Run, Special Olympics, and numerous baseball clinics, including the Cal Ripken-Hideo Nomo Camp.
Lastly, Murakami Stadium has history and pride ranging from its championship trophy cases in the lobby to the view of one of the most recognizable landmarks on Earth over the rightfield wall – Diamond Head. These characteristics make it a unique atmosphere for baseball that exemplifies the state’s motto of Aloha.