On March 26, 2022, the Pete Frates Center was officially dedicated on the Brighton campus of Boston College. The ceremony was well attended by family, friends, benefactors, and other members of the Boston College community with the intention of honoring the Center’s namesake: Pete Frates.
Pete Frates graduated from Boston College in 2007. He was a Boston College Eagles’ baseball captain and was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). During his life, he championed a cure and became an inspiration for the Ice Bucket Challenge, which raised more than $220 million for ALS research. Frates passed away in December 2019 at the age of 34.
The dedication ceremony for the Pete Frates Center included remarks from Boston College’s President William P. Leahy, S.J., as well as stories and appreciation from Frates’ wife, Julie, and brother and sister, the former and latter graduates of the college. They spoke highly of, not only their brother, but also of Yawkey Foundation President James P. Healey and University Trustee Associate John L. Harrington, who are also alumni of Boston College. Harrington is the namesake of the Harrington Athletics Village, which includes the Frates Center.
The earnest praise towards the members of the Yawkey Foundation is in part due to the donations made to build the Center. It was because of generous support made by the Yawkey Foundation and many other donors that the building could be completed in November 2020. Yet, this was not the first donation made by the Yawkey Foundation to Boston College. In 2003, the Yawkey Foundation made a commitment of $15 million to what is now known as the Yawkey Athletics Center. In 1986, Jean Yawkey also established the Thomas A. Yawkey Scholarship Fund through the Yawkey Foundation in honor of her late husband Tom Yawkey to provide tuition support for minority student-athlete baseball players from the Greater Boston area.
The Pete Frates Center is 31,000 square feet and is home to the indoor baseball and softball facility. It includes locker rooms, player lounges, and sports medicine, strength and conditioning, and equipment space on its lower level. A hitting facility with an indoor turf field and retractable netting, a hospitality area, and a deck overlooking the field can be found on its upper floor.
Visit the Boston College website for more information on the Pete Frates Center.