Hilltopper Heritage

Building History - Denes Field

Namesake - The field was named after Nicholas George Denes. Denes was born in Garrett, Indiana on February 22, 1906. He received his bachelor’s in physical education from the University of Illinois and his master’s from the University of Kentucky. He was a member of the Louisville Male High School athletic staff and he was one of Kentucky’s most successful high school coaches. While a high school coach, he produced state championships in football, basketball, and track. In 1951, he was named the Kentucky “Coach of the Year.” Denes was named the head football coach at Western February 2, 1957. In 1961, Denes was named the Ohio Valley Conference Football Coach of the Year. In November of 1967, he resigned as head football coach and became an associate professor at Western. He had 38 years of experience in coaching. In January 1969, he received the Distinguished American Award and in 1975 he was inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame. From his 11 seasons at Western, he had 57 wins, 39 losses, and 7 ties. From 1958-1962 he coached Western’s baseball team. There he had 49 wins, 39 losses and 1 tie. Denes died at the age of 69 on November 28, 1975 after a lengthy illness. In 1992, he was inducted into the Western’s Athletics Hall of Fame.

History - The facility seated 1,050. The official ground-breaking ceremony took place August 2, 1969.

In 2002 a baseball facility was constructed adjacent to Denes Field. Paul Orberson, who was born in Danville, made a $500,000 donation for construction of the clubhouse. Orberson graduated from Western in 1979 with a degree in history. In 1974 he came to Western on a full baseball scholarship.

Additions - 1990 - $50,000 was raised to buy new chair back seats, restrooms, concessions, and a press box.

1993 - new lights installed

2002 - baseball facility

2005 - new brick wall on the outside of the field, new scoreboard

2006 - $50,0000 entrance dedicated to Michael Wilhite

See also - UA36I Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Sources -

College Heights Herald - 1983 September 1, p. 13
1990 August 23, p. 31
2005 January 13
2006 May 6

Park City Daily News - 2001 June 30; December 15
2002 January 31
2004 May 9
2006 February 17; April 30, p. 1B; May 2, p. 8A
2008 April 23; April 24

Researched and written by Jenna Hawkins, 2008.