Auburn's Samford Stadium-Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park placed itself among the nation's finest college baseball facilities after receiving a $4.2 million facelift nine years ago.

The commitment to excellence of Auburn's baseball program is evident by the continuing efforts to keep Plainsman Park on the forefront of college baseball. Those efforts have included three additions to the facility since its initial renovations in 1996.

The most recent projects included a new drainage system and playing surface in the Summer of 2003 and the completion of the Strength and Rehabilitation Center adjacent to Plainsman Park in January of 2004.

The Strength and Rehabilitation Center is a two-story, 13,274 square foot facility that houses a weight room for the baseball team on the first floor and a rehabilitation and research center on the second floor.

The weight room is unrivaled in collegiate baseball and features nearly 50 pieces of equipment. The facility also has its own lockerroom.

The second floor of the Strength and Rehabilitation Center is occupied by HealthSouth and the Alabama Sports Medicine Institute, led by world-renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews. The project broke ground on October 25, 2002 at a construction cost of $2,502,380.

The most unique feature of the fence is the 30-foot "Green Monster" in left field, which provides an aesthetically pleasing view to spectators in the grandstand. Rather than the leftfield foul pole being 345 feet from home plate, as in the past, the wall will be just 315 feet from the batter.

Beginning at the leftfield power alley and continuing around to the rightfield foul pole, the top of the wall drops down from 30 to eight feet.

Auburn baseball moved its home to the present location in time for the 1950 season. Prior to that, all home games were played on what is now a parking lot behind the east side of Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Plainsman Park was host to the 1978 NCAA South Regional and NCAA Regionals in 1999, 2003 and 2010. It has also witnessed the budding baseball careers of Bo Jackson, Tim Hudson, Gregg Olson, Scott Sullivan and Frank Thomas. In 1994, John Powell struck out LSU's Warren Morris at Plainsman Park to set the NCAA career strikeout record. Powell also set the SEC all-time strikeout mark at Plainsman Park, against Arkansas in 1993.

Most recently, Plainsman Park had the privilege of hosting President George W. Bush. Approximately 14,000 people gathered at Plainsman Park on October 24, 2002, to listen to Bush speak. Bush's visit marked the first time since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939, that a United States President visited Auburn while in office.

The field is named in honor of Billy and Jimmy Hitchcock, brothers who became two of Auburn's most noteworthy athletic performers during the 1930s. In 1997 Plainsman Park was renamed, Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park.

The University renamed the facility Samford Stadium-Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park in May of 2003, naming the stadium after long-time Auburn Board of Trustee Member W. James "Jimmy" Samford, Jr.

Jimmy Samford, who passed away in December of 2003, worked tirelessly in spearheading the efforts for the renovations of Plainsman Park in the late 1990's. It was his work that has made Samford Stadium-Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park the top collegiate baseball facility in the country. Samford graduated from Auburn in political science in 1972 and was appointed to the board in 1987.

The late Jimmy Hitchcock was Auburn's first All-American in both baseball and football and was known as the "Phantom of Union Springs" for his overall athletic ability. Following a career in major league baseball, Jimmy Hitchcock coached the Auburn baseball team in the 1940s before being elected to the Public Service Commission of Auburn on three different occasions.

Billy Hitchcock led Auburn to its first SEC baseball title in 1937 and to its first football bowl game later that fall. Following a nine-year major league playing career with five teams, "Mr. Billy" earned the title of "The Dignified War Eagle" as manager of the Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves and as commissioner of the Southern League. He currently lives in Opelika and regularly attends Auburn home games.

From Birmingham, AL (via Interstate): Auburn, Alabama is located 143 miles southeast of Birmingham. By automobile the trip will take approximately 2.2 hours. Below are directions to assist you in your travel. Take I-65 South out of Birmingham and travel approximately 88 miles and exit the interstate onto I-85 North once in Montgomery which is exit 72. Then take I-85 North out of Montgomery and travel 55 miles and exit the interstate at exit 51. Then follow College Street into Auburn.

From Birmingham, AL (via US 280): Auburn, Alabama is located 115 miles southeast of Birmingham. By automobile the trip will take approximately 2 hours, but may take longer if traffic is heavy. Below are directions to assist you in your travel. Take Highway US 280 East out of Birmingham and travel approximately 110 miles and exit ono Alabama Highway 147. There is a yellow blinking light at the exit. Travel down this road (College Street) five miles to downtown Auburn and the Auburn University Campus.

From Columbus, GA: Auburn, Alabama is located 40 miles west of Columbus. By automobile the trip will take approximately 45 minutes. Below are directions to assist you in your travel. Take Highway 280 West out of Columbus and travel approximately 30 miles and exit the highway onto I-85 South at exit 62. Then take I-85 South ten miles and exit the interstate at exit 51. Then follow College Street into Auburn.

From Montgomery, AL: Auburn, Alabama is located 55 miles northeast of Montgomery. By automobile the trip will take approximately 1 hour. Below are directions to assist you in your travel. Take I-85 North out of Montgomery and travel 55 miles and exit the interstate at exit 51. Then follow College Street into Auburn.