Hermance Stadium - Oglethorpe Stormy Petrels
- David Welch
- 14 hours ago
- 5 min read
Photos by David Welch, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.71
Hermance Stadium 4462 Peachtree Rd NE Brookhaven, GA 30319
Year Opened: 1920 Capacity: 900
Stay Stormy
Oglethorpe University, located in Brookhaven, Georgia, is just north of Atlanta’s Buckhead community. Named in honor of the founder of the Georgia colony, James Oglethorpe, the university was originally established in the central Georgia town of Milledgeville, in 1835, then moved to Atlanta in 1870, finding its permanent home at its current location in 1915.
Hermance Stadium has been the home of Oglethorpe baseball since its completion in 1920; the playing surface inside the venue, Anderson Field, is named in honor of former baseball coach Frank Anderson. The school took on the moniker Stormy Petrels in reference to the legend that on his trip from England to the colonies, Oglethorpe marveled at the oceanic sea bird, the storm petrel, as it darted in and out of the ocean’s waves.
Oglethorpe University is a member of the NCAA Division III Southern Athletic Association, which is comprised of colleges and universities throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee.
Food & Beverage 2
A small snack shack is located down the hill from the seating area, which may be difficult to access for those with mobility challenges. The options are limited but serviceable for a quick bite – the menu includes hot dogs, peanuts, popcorn, chips, and candy, along with bottled drinks from Coca-Cola, Powerade, and Dasani. For more variety, snack and beverage vending machines are available in Lupton Hall, just beyond the right field fence.
Atmosphere 2
Hermance Stadium’s stonework and iron gates feel every bit its nearly 100-year-old self. Its Gothic design is reminiscent of a European castle, and the seating area has strong vibes of a Roman coliseum. Originally slated to seat 50,000 spectators, the Great Depression, which began just days after the field was dedicated in 1929, limited its construction to just one of the seven planned sections.
There are no bathroom facilities at the stadium, rather fans need to access the neighboring Lupton Hall. Going inside can provide a bit of relief during cold, early season night games, however.
The configuration of the seating does make for some challenges; the stands face directly into the setting sun, so for the first few innings it does make watching the game a bit difficult. The seating area, concentrated on the first base side of the field, also lacks actual physical seats, leaving fans to sit on concrete slabs. Several fans do bring tailgating chairs for a bit of added comfort. While there is not necessarily traditional seating behind the home dugout, several flat stones have been pushed into the hillside to create a natural looking seating option. The stadium’s incomplete look is due to the Great Depression, which limited its construction to just one section of seating.
Most of the outfield wall is the typical 8-foot fence covered with graphics, but a small section down the right field line is a stone retaining wall close to12-feet high, making up about the first 30-feet of the right field confines.
It is a bit disconcerting that the visiting dugout seems to lack restroom facilities, so it is not uncommon to happen upon visiting players relieving themselves under the stands.
Neighborhood 4
Hermance Stadium is at the front of Oglethorpe University’s campus in Brookhaven, just north of Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood. There is a wide selection of restaurants in the area up and down Peachtree Road, one of Atlanta's busiest thoroughfares. Buckhead is known for having many of Atlanta’s finest restaurants. Foodies might also want to check out the nearly endless options for international cuisine on Buford Highway, which is just a few miles to the north in neighboring Chamblee. If just grabbing a casual bite to eat before the game is more the goal, the Town Brookhaven mixed use development, right next to campus, has nearly a dozen eateries.
Atlanta’s subway system, MARTA, has a station which is just a short rideshare trip away from the stadium, as well as from all downtown Atlanta has to offer.
Fans 2
Attendance at Oglethorpe baseball typically runs from around 150 to 200 fans per game. Of those in attendance, few appear to be students – instead they look like mostly family members. Fans are supportive of good baseball plays here, and the success of the Stormy Petrels, but they do not necessarily create much of a home field advantage.
Access 3
Oglethorpe is directly off Peachtree Road, one of the most heavily traveled surface streets in the area, just north of the Atlanta city limits. While this does help with direct access to Oglethorpe’s campus, it does come with a great deal of congestion, especially during weekday games.
MARTA trains pass nearby, and while the station is within a walkable distance just over a mile from campus, a short rideshare instead might be easier. Once on campus there is a parking lot beyond centerfield and another beyond right field – both parking areas leave just a short walk to the entry on the first base side of the stadium. If you want to sit on the home side of the field, the terrain can be a bit tough going. For this reason, most fans, home and away, choose to sit in the stands. Home fans gather more toward the home plate end, while visiting fans tend to cluster on the far end, down the line.
If wanting to visit the concession stand, there are stairs leading out of the lower level of the seating area, but the footing will likely be tricky for those with mobility challenges. Hermance Stadium does not have bathroom facilities for fans, so visitors will need to go to the basement of Lupton Hall if those are needed.
Return on Investment 4
There is no charge for admission or parking at Hermance Stadium, and concession prices are low enough that it would be difficult to find another venue in collegiate baseball to rival them. The primary investment in heading to Brookhaven to catch Oglethorpe baseball is simply the time that it takes battling Atlanta traffic.
Extras 2
The outfield wall recognizes the retired numbers of four former Stormy Petrels, the most notable of which is the # 4 of National Baseball Hall of Famer Luke Appling, who played at Oglethorpe in the late 1920s. Also honored are Josh Blythe (# 5), Eric Krug (# 11), and Tim Crowley (# 17).
Despite its lack of luxuries and even basic amenities such as restroom facilities and seating, the preservation of such a historic facility should be commended, as a walk under the stands brings you back to a past era of stadium design.
Final Thoughts
It is always nice to see historic stadiums like Hermance Stadium kept in use. Despite lacking many of the common comforts typically taken for granted even at the most modest of baseball stadiums, Hermance Stadium's distinct character is rarely found in modern designs. It is easy to overlook what the facility lacks in favor of appreciating its one-of-a-kind charm.
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