Robertson Field Dedication Set for April 26
4/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
NEW YORK ? April 26, 2008, will be a special day for Columbia Baseball. Alumni and friends from Columbia's baseball program will celebrate this year's Alumni Day in an event hosted by head coach Brett Boretti and the Baseball Advisory Committee. It will also be a transformational day for Columbia Baseball. In recognition of the generous support of Hal Robertson '81SEAS, the Trustees of Columbia University have resolved to officially rename the baseball playing field at the Baker Field Athletics Complex “Robertson Field”. Columbia Athletics will hold a special ceremony to commemorate the event between games of the Penn doubleheader.
Since 1970, the field has been named for Andy Coakley, who was head coach of Columbia Baseball from 1914 to 1918 and 1920 to 1951, and ranks second at Columbia in wins. His legacy to the program will be recognized with the installation of a plaque in his honor on April 26.
October 12, 2007 marked the official launch of The Columbia Campaign for Athletics: Achieving Excellence. The Campaign reflects a deep and shared commitment to athletics in the University community. One of the main goals for the Campaign is to build world-class facilities that foster championship performances. Thanks to Robertson, this goal has become a reality for the Columbia baseball team.
Robertson had been visited in his hometown of Cincinnati to discuss the needs of the athletics program and Columbia Baseball. The idea grew on Robertson more and more over time.
Robertson flew to New York on the morning of the Campaign launch, still undecided on his pledge. That afternoon, he spent an hour walking around Columbia's campus, revisiting memories from his college years.
“I thought about how much the University has meant to me over the last 30 years and thought it was the right thing to do,” said Robertson. “Columbia gave me my start to my professional career and this was an opportunity to give back.”
It was then, one hour before the Campaign launch, that he decided to make a pledge to Dr. M. Dianne Murphy, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education. He called his wife, Katie, and she fully supported his decision. “I walked over to Dianne's office, not knowing if she would be there,” explained Robertson. Luckily, she was, and he told her he would commit $1 million for the new baseball field.
Thanks to Robertson's generous donation, the baseball team was able to install a state-of-the-art artificial surface. The surface is a hybrid fiber, rubber and sand infill blend, designed to have a more consistent feel. It covers both the infield and outfield, with dirt covering only the mound and home plate.
“Hal has taken the facilities for Columbia Baseball to the top of the Ivy League,” noted head coach Brett Boretti. “Having a great facility is extremely important in the recruiting process and also in the every day teaching capability of our staff. We now feel we have the best facility in order to teach our guys as best as we can.”
The FieldTurf? surface is more resilient than a grass field, allowing the team more practice opportunities this off-season. With the installation of the new field, weather became less of a factor, and the team was able to practice outdoors all but five days in February. In the past, the Lions have been forced to spend most of their pre-season indoor, as the grass field was unplayable during the winter , something Robertson experienced first-hand.
Robertson is a former two-sport student-athlete for Columbia. Not only was he a defensive back for the Lions' football squad, he started at second base for the baseball team and served as Columbia's co-captain during his senior year. As a sophomore, Robertson received All-Ivy League recognition after hitting .328 with 24 runs batted in and seven home runs in just 30 games. His seven home runs equaled Lou Gehrig's 1923 total, and ranked second in single-season school history at the time.
Paul Fernandes took over the reins of the Columbia baseball team in Robertson's first year. “As a new coach, I wanted to build upon the success of the 1976 team,” explains Fernandes. “We could continue to improve with people like Hal.” Almost thirty years later, it is no surprise to Fernandes that Robertson continues to help bring the baseball program to the next level.
Robertson began his career as an industrial engineer in the food processing industry in Cincinnati after graduating in 1981 with a degree in industrial engineering. For the next several years, Robertson worked in the banking industry while he pursued a master's in finance at the University of Cincinnati at night. Upon completion of his degree, he went on to work for a Fortune 200 company where he managed the corporate data center.
Two years after he began consulting in the banking industry, Robertson founded Methods Research, Inc. In addition to this company, he is also majority owner of his own home building business, Heartwood Builders, LLC.
Hal and his wife, Katie, live in Cincinnati with their five children.
