9 moments to remember in Fifth Third Field’s history

The longtime advocate for minor league baseball said the game would draw people downtown, boost the city's image and spur riverfront development.

The idea, which seemed like a risky venture to some two decades ago, was one of the sparks that led to today’s fiery downtown revitalization.

The Dayton Dragons played their first game at Fifth Third Field in 2000. Here are nine moments to remember:

1. Revitalization. The stadium is built on the site of a former General Motors plant at Patterson Boulevard between East Monument Avenue and East First Street.

2. Banking on a game. Fifth Third Bank paid a reported $4.3 million for the naming rights of the $23.1 million stadium.

3. Nice digs. The architect who designed Fifth Third Field, Jonathan Cole, told the Dayton Daily News in 2000: "This is a unique park. It's a Triple-A facility for a Single-A team. There's not another Single-A ballpark in the nation with a second tier like this. The walk around the concourse goes all the way around the park, so you can experience a game from several different vantage points."

4. Starting on the road. Construction delays postponed the opening of the new stadium. The Dragons spent 20 days of their inaugural season on the road playing 16 games. Four of those games had weather-related postponements which lead to doubleheaders.

5. Winning at home. Fifth Third Field officially opened on April 27, 2000. The first home opener was played against the Cedar Rapids Kernels. The Dragons beat the Kernels 4-3.

6. He was number one. John Schleppi of Kettering was the first of 8,833 fans through the gate at the packed, standing-room-only first game.

7. Cheers and jeers. The first standing ovation at a Dragons game was for Johnny Bench, who was introduced to the crowd before the game. The first person booed was then-Mayor Mike Turner, who threw a hard slider into the dirt that hopped past Bench.

8. The very firsts. The Dragons' Jim Manias threw the first official pitch of the game. Casey Bookout collected the first hit, B.J. Hawes stole the first base (second base in the third inning) and Austin Kearns scored the first run.

9. Record breaking. In 2011, the Dragons broke the all-time record for consecutive home game sellouts at their 815th game.