Puck O’Neal Field at Big Rock Stadium

Erected in 2010 in Morehead City, North Carolina, the business epicenter at the beautiful Crystal Coast.  The stadium was built with generous donations and visions from the Town of Morehead City, The Big Rock, and Mr. V.J ‘Puck’ O’Neal, for whom the field is named after. Constructed primarily as a baseball complex for the local American Legion baseball programs, the stadium soon found a permanent tenant, the Morehead City Marlins Baseball Team-operated by Riverfront Sports and Entertainment. The MHC Marlins is one of the newest teams in the CPL, the nation’s hottest summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 21st season, the Coastal Plain League features 15 teams playing in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia. The CPL gives college players the chance to refine their skills with the use of wooden bats. Players are housed with local host families for the summer and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts. The stadium is located inside Rotary Park down on Mayberry Loop Road.

Big Rock Stadium has already held its fair share of events in addition to over 30 Marlins games per season. The Marlins have hosted the Coastal Plain League Championship Series in 2018 and 2019, winning both at Big Rock Stadium.  Additional events include the 2014 CPL All-Star Weekend, D-II college tournaments and the 2011 North Carolina State Legion Tournament. The Marlins have also hosted exhibitions against the Heroes of the Diamond and Collegiate Team USA and local Junior and Senior American Legion games, along with a variety of high school tournaments.

The Big Rock Stadium’s main grandstand seats 1,800 fans, with another 400-500 walking around the complex, overlooking the state-of-the-art baseball diamond.