After $750,000 Gift, New Baseball Stadium At S F A

[ADLER]

[

$750,000 gift for Bo Pilgrim Park marks halfway point for private fund raising

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin State University today announced a $750,000 gift made by the estate of Robert C. Banks to name the baseball stadium at Bo Pilgrim Park at SFA.

The Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents approved the named gift during a Jan. 30 meeting.

The gift will establish the Bob and Dot Banks Baseball Stadium at Bo Pilgrim Park, a $14 million NCAA Division I athletic complex that will be the on-campus home to baseball and softball.

Previously the university has received a $1 million gift from businessman Bo Pilgrim to name the athletic complex. During a 13-month campaign that began in December 2006, a total of $3.5 million in private donations will be solicited before construction begins.

“With this gift we have 50 percent of the private funds needed to begin construction of the project,” said Robert Hill, SFA director of athletics.

“Bob Banks loved athletics and especially the opportunities that student-athletes have to participate at the college level and earn a degree,” said Hill. “That’s why it’s so fitting that he and his wife, Dot, will be forever associated with baseball at SFA.”

Robert “Bob” Banks career began with McKinney Drilling Company in 1948 and ended with his retirement as president and chief executive officer in 2002. McKinney Drilling Company was a pioneer in the development of large diameter drilled pier foundations for the support of all types of commercial building projects. Banks’ career with McKinney included stints in England, Pakistan and Nigeria as well as several cities throughout the United States before moving to Nacogdoches in 1982 to take over as president of the company.

Banks grew up in Mount Vernon, Texas, where he was a celebrated student-athlete who excelled in high school basketball. Banks’ on-court skills helped him earn a basketball scholarship to attend North Texas State University. Throughout his adult life he followed collegiate and professional sports and was an avid golfer. Banks died in 2006.

Bo Pilgrim Park is scheduled to be built in Nacogdoches at the intersection of University Drive and East Starr Avenue on a 24.5-acre land tract owned by the university. Leo A. Daly, an internationally known sports architectural firm that designed Minute Maid Park in Houston, has developed plans for the stadium complex. J.E. Kingham Construction Company will manage construction of the facility.

Bo Pilgrim Park will feature a regulation-size baseball stadium and softball stadium, press boxes for each, a field house, training room and weight room. The baseball stadium will seat 1,200 fans, while the softball stadium will seat 600.

The facility will have an estimated $11.8 million annual economic impact on the Nacogdoches community, according to a study conducted by ImpactDataSource of Austin, Texas, and funded by the Nacogdoches Economic Development Corporation.

Oh well, I guess it never really hurts to lose track of your own sports minded millionaire letterman. Who needs stadiums anyways.

Edited August 28, 2008 by ADLER

[KRAM1]

This is why UNT needs to do a much better job of tracking and keeping in touch with ALL its alumni. And, they need to ASK for support. The guy obviously loved SFA for some reason, that's great, it's a good school (my mother-in-law was on the Early Childhhod faculty there until she retired..spent many a day in Nac and watched many UNT-SFA gages at Lumberjack Stadium, or whatever they call it), but that does not mean he would not have "remembered" UNT also had he been respected as an alum and had regular and positive contact with the school and its programs.

This is a long standing problem for UNT that many folks just shrug off as "that's the way it is" at UNT. BUT, it does not and should not have to be that way. I do think things are changing for the better in this regard at this time, but it will take some time and some "attitude" re-adjustment from UNT, but it is happening. It did not get the way it is over night and it will not be fixed over night, but positive steps are being taken. Give it your support...try to remain positive and be part of the sloution and not part of the problem...and it will get better even faster.

GO MEAN GREEN...BUY SEASON TICKETS...JOIN THE MEAN GREEN CLUB (jon is a nice guy and wants to develop great relationships and a great program)...JOIN THE EXES/ALUMNI...GO TO THE GAMES...DONATE TO THE PROGRAM OF YOUR CHOICE AT UNT!!!!

[Harry]

OUCH.....

[Green Mean]

If he followed collegiate sports closely then I am going to assume that he even followed us. I am sure once again there was a disconnect between an alum like him and the university at that time. I just hope we are done with making mistakes like that because its things like this that will prevent NT going to any higher level let alone the highest level such as BCS level etc.

[untbowler]

someone should send this article to RV, Dr. B, BOR, and the Fundraising section of the school. Quite embarassing!!

[KRAM1]

Untblower...go for it!

[UNTLifer]

someone should send this article to RV, Dr. B, BOR, and the Fundraising section of the school. Quite embarassing!!

Bet some of them have already read it on here considering they are keeping an eye on us.

[forevereagle]

Untblower...go for it!

Let's hope that you meant that as a joke...

[oldguystudent]

If he followed collegiate sports closely then I am going to assume that he even followed us. I am sure once again there was a disconnect between an alum like him and the university at that time. I just hope we are done with making mistakes like that because its things like this that will prevent NT going to any higher level let alone the highest level such as BCS level etc.

I have no knowledge of UNT and its relationships with alumni. I can only give my own experience. When I went to the super-regional series in Baton Rouge last June to watch my beloved UC Irvine Anteaters, I tried to give a couple hundred bucks to the athletic department. They snubbed their noses at me (rudely I might add). I guess my money's no good unless it's got a few more zeros tacked on. I will always be an Irvine fan, but if I ever make it big, they'll never see a dime from me.

Given that experience, I think UNT athletics should be keeping in touch with alumni from the day they graduate. I think they should be gracious when some 22-year-old kid throws 'em twenty-five bucks, because someday that kid will be a serious earner, and he won't forget how he was treated when he was struggling. I was impressed by the alumni party at the first home football game. That's something Irvine would never do. With them, you're either buying a new building that you get to put your name on, or you can take your money up to Dodger stadium.

My feeling is that UNT (and most certainly UC Irvine) just have a "piss off" attitude towards alumni unless they're a big fish. By that time, that fish has moved on and doesn't really care anymore. Again, take this last sentence with a grain of salt, because I haven't been around long enough to know what goes on in the minds of the powers that be in UNT athletics.

[filmerj]

Most embarrassing.

[KRAM1]

Oldguystudent...sad but true...this has been UNT's past history with alums. I feel that is changing, but the cghange is ever so slow...Just look at Prez B herself...instead of looking to current President's Council members (min. $1000 UNT donation annually) to help "revise" the program, she just starts charging members for activities that were once provided as a part of the membership. Again, lots of folks feel the $1000 is a tough amount to give up. I am told several members are "not renewing" their memberships. That's too bad. In fact, pretty much like the Exes name change to the Alumni Assoc., there was no "pre-notification" of change in the President's Council format. I guess "they" thought no one would be looking!

UNT should find ways to celebrate and reward their recent grad folks who actually donate...as was said...small donations can become big donations "down the road". By the way, when Boone Pickens attended Okla. State he was not a rich guy! Do you think OSU snubbed him along the way? I would guess not as he has now given over $500 million to the university.

Just something to ponder over your morning coffee, Prez B.