Sal Maglie Stadium

Location: Niagara Falls, NY
Surface System Used: A-Turf® Titan DiamondBlade and Premier Thatch systems
Completion: May 2023

Overview

Sal Maglie Stadium is located in Niagara Falls, New York, and has an interesting history that dates back to 1939. Named after Niagara Falls native and former Major League Baseball pitcher Sal “The Barber” Maglie, the popular landmark was rededicated in 2023 with help from A-Turf. 

Project Features

The stadium originally opened as a football venue but was adapted for baseball in the 1950s and completely reconstructed for baseball in the late 1990s. It was known as Hyde Park Stadium until it was dedicated in Maglie’s name in 1983. 

Today, the 4,000-seat venue is home to the Niagara Power collegiate summer baseball franchise and Niagara University’s Purple Eagles club baseball team. The stadium also hosts other local college and high school baseball games.

When the city of Niagara Falls wished to rededicate the stadium and convert it to an artificial turf field, A-Turf was contracted as a project partner. The city and site contractor were familiar with A-Turf’s track record for quality, as we had previously installed a nine-field project for Niagara Falls High School.

For the stadium upgrade, the owner wanted a turf system tailored specifically to baseball with a ball roll that mimicked natural grass – faster in the infield and base paths and a tad slower in the outfield. 

To mimic a “skinned” infield and natural grass outfield, A-Turf installed a combination of our Titan DiamondBlade and Premier Thatch systems. DiamondBlade 2” height was utilized for the green field areas, and Premier Thatch 1-5/8” height was installed on the base paths and warning tracks. 

Winter and early spring weather in Niagara Falls can pose challenges for outdoor projects such as the Sal Maglie Stadium upgrade. To combat those challenges, we provided additional skilled installation craftsmen to the turf crew. This ensured that our team could capitalize on good weather days and stay on schedule.

In total, the stadium consists of a full-size 161,000 sq. ft. turf field as well as turf batting cages and bullpens. Through this significant improvement project and rededication, Sal Maglie Stadium is ready to provide the city of Niagara Falls with a premier baseball destination for all levels of play!