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[[File:Yogi Berra Stadium 2.jpg|thumb|Yogi Berra Stadium]]
Construction of the stadium was done in conjunction with another venue on the Montclair State campus. [[Floyd Hall]], a resident of Montclair who was then serving as chief executive officer of [[Kmart (United States)|Kmart]], donated money to the university in order to build an ice arena, which is known as Floyd Hall Arena and is a multi-use facility that several of the area's high school hockey teams call home, and a new baseball stadium for Montclair State's team to replace their previous venue, [[MSU Soccer Park at Pittser Field|Pittser Field]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.floydhallarena.com/aboutfhe.asp |title=About Floyd Hall Enterprises |website=Floyd Hall Arena |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070712151214/http://www.floydhallarena.com/aboutfhe.asp |archive-date=July 12, 2007 |access-date=July 27, 2007}}</ref> Around this time the Northeast League, an independent minor baseball league, was looking for a team to replace the [[Bangor Blue Ox]], which had folded. Hall bought into the league shortly thereafter and founded the Jackals, who were promptly given use of the new stadium once it was able to open. It was decided to name the stadium after [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Hall of Fame]] [[New York Yankees]] catcher [[Yogi Berra]], who called Montclair home during his playing days and managerial career with the Yankees and their crosstown rivals, the [[New York Mets]].
Despite construction delays keeping the Montclair State baseball team from using the new park (they remained at Pittser Field for one additional season; Pittser Field was then converted into a soccer only stadium), it opened for business in time for the Jackals' inaugural game on June 5, 1998. Despite the stadium only being partially finished, as construction on an addition continued throughout the season, fans hungry for economical entertainment flocked to the ball park for a fun night out, and the park is well-constructed with good sight lines and no obstructed views from any of its seats. The park's dimensions are 308 feet to each of the corner outfields and 398 to center field; according to the Jackals, this was done on purpose as another honor for Berra.
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The museum addition was completed following the 1998 season and the final phase of construction was completed in early 1999 as the seating areas were renovated and extended, with seats going as far as left and right field and several reserved sections being replaced with box seats, installation of several concession stands and a second set of restrooms, a new team store, and a resurfacing of the stadium's walls with white [[stucco]].
In 2010, world-renowned sculptor [[Brian Hanlon]] of [[Toms River, New Jersey]] sculpted a statue of Berra that was placed outside of the stadium in front of the museum.<ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.espn.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5215368|title=Statue of Hall of Famer Yogi Berra to stand in front of his museum|agency=[[Associated Press]] |publisher= ESPN | location= New York| work= ESPN.com|date=May 24, 2010| access-date= May 31, 2024}}</ref>
In 2022, the Jackals announced that they would be leaving Yogi Berra Stadium for [[Hinchliffe Stadium]] in nearby [[Paterson, New Jersey|Paterson]]. August 25, 2022, was the team's last regular season home game.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Reichard |first=Kevin |date=August 17, 2022 |title=Jackals departing Yogi Berra Stadium; Hinchliffe Stadium pitched as new team home |work=Ballpark Digest |publisher=August Publications |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2022/08/17/jackals-departing-yogi-berra-stadium-hinchliffe-stadium-pitched-as-new-team-home/ |access-date=August 25, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>
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In 2018, the Jackals installed a new {{convert|720|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} [[Daktronics]] [[High-definition video|HD]] LED video board in left field as part of stadium wide improvements.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2018/03/20/yogi-berra-stadium-receiving-new-videoboard/|title=Yogi Berra Stadium Receiving New Videoboard|work=Ballpark Digest|publisher=August Publications|date=March 20, 2018|access-date=February 18, 2020}}</ref>
Ahead of the 2024 season, Montclair State and [[NJIT]] carried out a $5.3 million renovation of the stadium. The renovations included a new [[artificial turf]] field, a pitch counter, a new [[Dugout (baseball)|dugout]] to [[bullpen]] phone, replacement of the outfield walls, new storage facility, updated locker room, new bullpens and [[batting cages]], a new scoreboard and signage celebrating the Red Hawk’s three National Champion teams (1987, 1993, 2000). New [[LED lamp|LED lighting]] was installed that is more energy efficient, environmentally friendly and meets broadcasting standards that will allow games to be televised on [[ESPN]] and other national networks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.montclair.edu/facilities/2024/01/24/yogi-berra-stadium-gets-a-lighting-upgrade/?utm_source=in_the_know&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=feb_02_2024|title=Yogi Berra Stadium Gets a Lighting Upgrade|publisher=Montclair State University|date=January 24, 2024|accessdate=May 31, 2024}}</ref> Additionally, the concession area was renovated and renamed "The Hill" in reference to Yogi Berra’s boyhood neighborhood, [[The Hill, St. Louis|The Hill]], in [[St. Louis]] and the elevated Red Hawks perch for the stadium and campus. The renovations enable to the stadium be a year round facility by hosting conferences, [[NCAA Division I baseball tournament|NCAA baseball tournaments]] and other high-profile events.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.montclair.edu/newscenter/2024/03/25/at-yogi-berra-stadium-its-a-brand-new-ball-game/|title=At Yogi Berra Stadium, It’s a Brand New Ball Game - Ceremonial first pitch ushers in new era for Red Hawk Athletics and partnership between Montclair and NJIT|publisher=Montclair State University|date=March 25, 2024|accessdate=May 31, 2024}}</ref>
==References==
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