Many Saluki athletics supporters gathered on Abe Martin Field Tuesday for the groundbreaking of the new Richard “Itchy” Jones stadium.

Abe Martin Field has been the home of the Salukis since 1964 and has seen more than 1,000 baseball games.

“For the first time since Lyndon Johnson, Southern is getting a new baseball stadium,” Mark Reis, the voice of Saluki baseball, said.

Reis, director of external and broadcast operations at SIU, was the master of ceremonies, introducing Chancellor Rita Cheng, athletic director Mario Moccia, head baseball coach Ken Henderson, baseball player Donny Duschinsky and the honorary Richard “Itchy” Jones.

Jones, a Herrin native, was the head baseball coach for 21 years and led them to a 738-345-5 record during that time. He then moved on to coach at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and is a member of six different hall of fames, including the College Baseball Hall of Fame. During his time at SIU, Jones had 10 NCAA tournament appearances and made three trips to the NCAA College World Series.

The $4 million project is scheduled for completion by next March. The stadium renovations will include artificial turf, dugouts, lights, bleachers and a new press box.

One benefit of the renovations is the turf ’s ability to take in seven inches of rain per hour, current head coach Ken Henderson said.

Henderson recapped the many moments that have taken place on the field. He said while it was good to see the old press box and the dugouts being taken down, nothing could take those memories away.

“Bulldozers can’t take away that history,” Henderson said.