The Wabash College baseball team will have a new artificial turf infield playing surface at Goodrich Ballpark thanks to the generosity of a former student-athlete and his wife.
John Birdzell ’61, a four-year letterman and pitcher for the Little Giants, and his wife, JoAnn, made a $610,000 gift to have a turf infield installed in time for the 2026 season. As a result, the facility will now be named Birdzell Field at Goodrich Ballpark.
Wabash has played in its current facility since 2011.
“I’m a lifelong baseball fan and a loyal and devoted alumnus who loved playing baseball at Wabash 65 years ago,” said Birdzell, who currently resides in Westfield, Indiana. “I’m also a huge fan of Coach Jake Martin and what he’s done for the baseball program both on and off the field.”
Adding the artificial turf to the facility makes an already outstanding home field that much better in multiple ways.
First, the turf will give the program better field availability through more opportunities to practice, fewer rainouts, and fewer academic disruptions due to schedule changes. It will also aid in recruiting by creating more time for both individual player development and increasing team tournament-hosting opportunities. Less daily field maintenance will give coaches more time to coach and instruct.
“We are incredibly grateful to John and JoAnn for their remarkable generosity and belief in Wabash Baseball,” said Head Baseball Coach Jake Martin ’03. “This gift transforms our facility and the opportunities it provides for our student-athletes. The new turf infield will allow us to practice and compete more consistently, minimize weather disruptions, and strengthen our recruiting efforts. Most important, it reflects the continued loyalty and support of our alumni, who understand how the Wabash experience positively shapes young men.”
In addition to the positive impact for the baseball program, the amount of Birdzell’s gift also honors his 1961 Wabash classmates.
“The Wabash Class of 1961 was a special one in terms of cohesive loyalty, service, and support for the College over seven decades,” said Birdzell. “I wanted to symbolically recognize those efforts, made in so many profound ways, by our class members.”
Originally from Crown Point, Indiana, Birdzell majored in political science and minored in psychology before enjoying a successful career in hospital management. He carries the distinction of being the last Wabash pitcher to defeat a Big Ten Conference opponent when he took the mound on April 14, 1961, in a 9-5 Wabash win at Purdue.
The 2025 Little Giant baseball team posted a 27-15 record and advanced to the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament. In nine seasons at his alma mater, Martin has guided Wabash to a 192-139 (.580) record to go with four consecutive 20-win campaigns. In 16 seasons as a college head coach, Martin’s record is 353-278 (.559).
The Wabash baseball team holds the distinction of winning the first-ever intercollegiate baseball game played in the state of Indiana, a 45-32 defeat of Asbury on Nov. 24, 1866. In 140 seasons all-time, the Wabash baseball team has won 1,445 games.