Carroll Land gazed out at a full-house audience at the National Baseball Coaches Association’s 1998 banquet at San Diego’s Downtown Marriott in January and felt like pinching himself. He knew he was what was this other honor that had just been about to be inducted into the ABCA Hall of Fame. However, the renaming of the baseball field on the Point Loma Stadium had caught Land totally by surprise.
"I thought I knew what I was going to say up here," said PLNU's former athletic director and baseball coach Carroll Land. "Now it seems I struggle to find the words....how to say thank you to my institution, out of love and gratitude for the opportunity to serve."
The picturesque field that’s tucked into the southwest side of the Sea Lion campus and has been named Carroll B. Land Field, after the legendary coach and administrator.
In his remarks at the Hall of Fame induction, Land joked about his own accomplishments as a baseball player, noting, "I was blessed with just enough skills to be able to play the game. It took me a while to forgive God for that."
"More importantly," added Land, whose 1993 and ‘94 teams went to the NAIA World Series, "This job has allowed me to become part of something far more important than being involved in a great sport. . I’ve had the opportunity to influence and be part of the lives of young men. It’s an incredible opportunity, but, more than that, a tremendous responsibility."
Through the years, Carroll B. Land Stadium has evolved into what it is—a cozy, comfortable field of dreams-largely through the efforts of Land. The box seats, club-view seating over the home-team dugout, immaculate playing surface, grassy seating areas down the foul lines, batting cages and other amenities all are in place because of Land’s persistence, work ethic and knack for securing an endless stream of sponsors willing to fund projects. "Fans here are closer to the field than about anywhere you can imagine," notes Land, pinpointing a big reason for the park’s intimate charm.
The park wouldn’t be what it is if Carroll Land were just another college baseball coach focused on winning at all costs and making the moves necessary to do it. Instead, Land has stayed put. Now, his school is rewarding him for both his loyalty and his level of achievement. Carroll B. Land Stadium has a nice ring to it.
