Russell C. King Field
A commitment in excess of $1 million from a trustee and former Terrier baseball player made it possible for Wofford College to play its home games on campus again.
In May 2003, the Wofford Board of Trustees approved the $1.8 million project, which bears the name of Russell C. King Field. The new field is located at the site of the former facility, Law Field, on campus. A past chairman, King served on the Wofford Board of Trustees for 25 years.
Russell C. King ‘56 made it possible for NCAA baseball to return to campus after an eight-year absence. Since beginning Division I play in 1996, Wofford had played its games off-campus at Duncan Park.
King, who passed away August 14, 2011, was part of a three generation family at Wofford that also includes an athletic background. His father, Russell Calvin King ‘29, played baseball and football for the Terriers as did one of his four uncles who attended Wofford. King’s son, Russell C. King, III ‘81, is also a Wofford graduate.King was a stalwart on Wofford’s baseball teams from 1953-56, he was a .338 career hitter who led the ‘56 team to a 14-4 record while leading the squad in home runs and RBIs.
Other components of the new facility include a major gift from Toccoa Switzer and her family for the construction of the seating area, which has 1,000 permanent seats located behind home plate. Grass banks behind each dugout bring total capacity to 2,500. A series of rocking chairs, overlooking the field, highlights the plaza area.The Switzer family also has a long relationship with Wofford, spanning four generations. Toccoa Switzer is a former member of the Wofford Board of Trustees. Her late husband, James L. Switzer, Sr. ‘40, and his father, Dr. Paul K. Switzer ’07 are Wofford graduates, as are her two sons, James L. Switzer, Jr. ‘80 and Dr. Paul K. Switzer, III ‘77. Toccoa’s granddaughter, Lizzie Switzer ‘07, is also a graduate of Wofford.
Over the past several seasons, various improvements have been made to the facility, including cutting out the base paths and adding railings in front of the dugouts. The most visible change was the addition in 2012 of an astroturf halo around the home plate area. The halo was made possible by family and friends in memory of Jason Derrick. Derrick was a pitcher for the Terriers from 1992-96 from Charleston, S.C. and passed away in 2008. A renovation to the batting cages was undertaken in the fall of 2016, with new netting and turf installed.
