▁co ached ▁by ▁Mike ▁Ham pton , ▁has ▁been ▁to ▁the ▁College ▁World ▁Series ▁six ▁times , ▁recorded ▁ 3 4 ▁NCAA ▁appearances , ▁ 8 ▁Big ▁East ▁Championships ▁and ▁have ▁sent ▁ 7 0 ▁players ▁on ▁to ▁professional ▁baseball ▁care ers . ▁ ▁The ▁team ▁plays ▁at ▁the ▁ 3 , 5 0 0 - se at ▁Jack ▁Kaiser ▁Stadium , ▁dedicated ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁to ▁the ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁Co ach ▁and ▁former ▁St . ▁John ' s ▁Athlet ic ▁Director . ▁ ▁The ▁stad ium ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁college ▁baseball ▁stad iums ▁in ▁the ▁n ortheast , ▁and ▁is ▁a ▁featured ▁ven ue ▁on ▁the ▁E A ▁Sports ▁M VP ▁NCAA ▁Baseball ▁video ▁game . ▁The ▁stad ium ▁was ▁conce ived ▁out ▁of ▁a ▁deal ▁between ▁the ▁university ▁and ▁the ▁Giul iani ▁administration . ▁ ▁The ▁administration ▁wanted ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁location ▁for ▁a ▁single - A ▁team ▁that ▁would ▁be ▁affili ated ▁with ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁M ets . ▁Express ing ▁concern ▁about ▁quality ▁of ▁life ▁issues ▁and ▁the ▁sp ending ▁of ▁public ▁money ▁for ▁a ▁private ▁religious ▁institution , ▁surrounding ▁neighborhood ▁civ ic ▁groups ▁and ▁local ▁polit icians ▁protest ed ▁the ▁plan . ▁ ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁pla c ate ▁their ▁concerns , ▁however , ▁the ▁M ets ▁offered ▁to ▁open ▁it ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁communities ▁for ▁local ▁high ▁school ▁games ▁and ▁youth ▁programs . ▁This ▁stad ium ▁was ▁built ▁despite ▁large ▁protest s ▁by ▁community ▁residents ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁State ▁Senator ▁Frank