Slippery Rock Baseball Camps

Jack Critchfield Park

University in May 2000. That donation initiated the project that culminated in the construction of the state-of-the-art, 1,500-seat, on-campus baseball facility that bears his name.

Dr. Critchfield’s ties to baseball go beyond his playing days at The Rock, though. He was an integral part of the community effort that led to the successful awarding of a Major League Baseball franchise, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, to the Tampa Bay area of Florida in 1996.

Dr. Critchfield’s involvement in the formation of the Devil Rays was but one reason the St. Petersburg Times stated in a 1998 feature story he was “one of Tampa Bay’s dominant civic leaders.”

Dr. Critchfield is a retired president and CEO of Florida Progress, Corp., a utility company. Prior to joining Florida Progress, he served as president of Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla.; president of Winter Park Telephone and as a teacher.

Dr. Critchfield received his bachelor’s degree from The Rock and later earned a master’s degree in psychological counseling and a doctorate in education from the University of Pittsburgh.

A native of western Pennsylvania, Dr. Critchfield now resides in Clearwater, Fla., with his wife and daughter, Austi.

Directions to Critchfield Park: From Interstate 79, take Exit 105 (Slippery Rock). Turn left at the stop sign at the end of the entrance ramp and follow State Route 108 north into downtown Slippery Rock. At the traffic light adjacent to The First National Bank, turn right onto Main Street. Follow Main Street to the second traffic light, turn left onto Keister Road. Follow Keister Road to the flashing light. Turn left at the flashing light and go onto the SRU campus. At the dead end, turn right. Proceed past the East Lake Parking Lot to Stadium Drive. Turn right onto Stadium Drive. Jack Critchfield Park is ahead of you on the right side of the road, adjacent to the Aebersold Student Recreation Center. Parking is available in several locations adjacent to Critchfield Park.