Hank DeVincent Field - La Salle Explorers
- Gregory Koch
- May 3
- 4 min read
Photos by Gregory Koch and Richard Smith Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 2.29
Hank DeVincent Field
1900 W Olney Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19141
Year Opened: 1978
Capacity: 1,000
Home of the La Salle Explorers
La Salle University is a Roman Catholic university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named for St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle. La Salle first admitted women students in 1970, becoming a fully co-educational institution. Nursing and Education are two of the largest majors at La Salle.
Sports teams at La Salle are named the Explorers. The name derives from a 1931 mistake made by a local sportswriter. The writer thought the university was named after the French explorer Sieur de La Salle, when in fact it is named after St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle. The students loved the mistake so much they adopted it in 1932.
La Salle's baseball team plays its home games at Hank DeVincent Field. The Explorers baseball program began play in 1947 but was dropped after the 2021 season due to expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, thanks to donor support, the program was reinstated for the 2026 season.
Food & Beverage 0
There are no food options at DeVincent Field. Fans are free to bring their own, and many set up tailgates for their groups offering copious amounts of food for those in their party. When you visit, there may be a food truck parked down the left field line. However, it is not in service during games. The La Salle Dining Services building is located beyond the left field fence, and this is where they park the truck when it is not being used elsewhere.
Atmosphere 2
The layout at Hank DeVincent Field could be described as quirky, even unique. Bleachers are located between home plate and the first base dugout, with another set further up the line. All of them are behind a chain link fence that makes it difficult to see the action. There are no bleachers along the third base line as it abuts a service road that separates DeVincent Field from McCarthy Stadium, home of La Salle soccer and lacrosse. High chain link fences surround much of the field, not just the seating area, in order to protect vehicles on the service road and the various parking lots and buildings that the university uses. Additionally, to accommodate La Salle's field hockey field in the outfield, the dimensions of the stadium are almost perfectly rectangular, with only diagonal temporary fencing in centerfield cutting off that corner. The field hockey lines are also still on the field even though the team doesn't even play there anymore due to the turf being unsuitable for that sport. All of this gives a unique feel to the stadium that seems almost like a prison yard. A scoreboard in left-centerfield also shows the linescore but can be hard to read through the fence.
There are several other problems with the bleachers. There is no aisle to climb up, making getting to the higher rows difficult. In addition to looking through the chain link fence, the bleachers behind home plate have obstructed views of the corners, while it is difficult to see the home plate area from the set further up the line. Overall, while the feel here is certainly unique, it is not the greatest place to watch a game.
Neighborhood 3
DeVincent Field is not located in the best part of Philadelphia. While safety is not an issue at the stadium itself, as there is enough security to ensure that, you may not want to wander too far away. The Treetops Cafe and La Salle Art Museum are located within the same campus complex as McCarthy Stadium, so you should encounter no issue going there, but your best bet is to head elsewhere in Philadelphia, like Center City, where you will find far more options.
Fans 2
The fans at a La Salle baseball game are mostly friends and family of the players. While they are deeply knowledgeable about the team, not that many of them show up and they are often outnumbered by opposing fans. Some fans fly an Explorers flag from the first base bleachers, but other than that, the crowd here is not very active.
Access 3
DeVincent Field located a few miles from I-76 and I-95, and is not too difficult to access from there if you know where to go. You will need to enter the campus through the gate at 1825 Lindley Avenue. After stopping at the security gate, tell the guard you are there for the baseball game, then head all the way to the back of the lot to park there. DeVincent Field is a short walk away, up a flight of stairs and across the service road from McCarthy Stadium. Some GPS systems will have you try to enter off of 20th Street, but you can't park in that lot unless you are gameday personnel, so you will be asked to turn around and enter off of Lindley.
The Wister station on the Chestnut Hill SEPTA regional rail line is about a 10-15 minute walk from the stadium as well, although this will not take you through the best neighborhoods.
There are no restrooms at DeVincent Field itself, but the ones at McCarthy Stadium next door are open on game days.
Return on Investment 4
Admission is free to La Salle baseball games, as is parking. However, there is not enough here to earn the top score.
Extras 2
Look for the retired numbers on the outfield fence honoring La Salle baseball greats.
The quirky layout of this stadium is also worth an extra star.
Final Thoughts
Hank DeVincent Field could best be described as quirky. The challenges of building a ballpark in an urban environment are evident here, but La Salle has done what they can with the space they have. Ballpark chasers often love these unique venues, but for more casual fans, this is not an ideal place to watch a ballgame.
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