AND NOW WE HAVE TEAMS THAT
COME FROM AS FAR AWAY AS MICHIGAN, WEST
VIRGINIA, AND KENTUCKY TRAVEL TO PLAY ON THESE
FIELDS!
Adults also use Fields 1
& 2 for softball. The fields are
referred to as the "Jaycee Fields" as
you will see on the Athens Park and Rec
sign as you enter the park. In the late 1960's
and early 1970's softball became popular.
The Athens Jaycees, a civic organization, took
it upon themsleves to build two softball fields
(Fields 1 & 2) located on the left as you
drive into the park. Prior to that this
was a corn field. Years later the City was
able to light those fields at a cost of $250,000
in the 1970s. In 2007, a plaque purchased
by the city was erected on a base built by
Athens Sandlot commemorating the Jaycees.
Although Athens Sandlot
renovated and installed new fields, the Athens
City Recreation Department is responsible for
caring for the fields. They mow and drag
the fields and line them throughout the
week. They also collect all the trash
cans during the regular season. The Rec
Department also runs an adult softball
league on Fields 1 & 2 and a summer T-ball
league.
Athens Sandlot coaches
prepare the fields on the weekends for play
including lining the fields. They
also prepare the fields
for tournaments during the summer. This
includes dragging, raking and lining the
fields. They also responsible for bagging
the trash during tournaments.
The fields only stay as
nice as we want them because the City
is so limited with help. So coaches
& their teams repair their fields
themselves during the week and weekends as
needed. This includes filling any holes
and raking the pitchers mounds and batter's
box. Teams are responsible for
removing their trash from the dugouts after
games. Only with your help are the
fields in the playing condition you want
and expect. During tournaments Sandlot coaches
bag trash by the dugouts and set it aside to
help keep the area nice for us and visitors.
Athens Sandlot was
formed in 2004 and started with a 9/10 year
old league. The city let us use
the fields located in the back of the
park. Previously called Fields 7 & 9,
these later became the Polo Grounds and Crosley
Fields. There were about seven teams (69
players). The ball kept rolling under the
broken fence. A ball hit foul would be
lost in the brush. A grounder hit the outfield
might be a home run because it would roll
forever as there was no home run
fence. There were no dugouts, just benches.
The ground was hard as a rock. Coaches
volunteered to umpire each others games. We had
no catcher's equipment. We had
nothing to line fields. We didn't
even have a rake.
In the summer we'd go to
other places to play in tournaments.
Places with dugouts. Places with
umpires. We couldn't host a tournament
because no one would come here and play at
fields with no home run fences or dugouts.
We decided to do
something about it. . . .
On March 3, 2005 we
broke ground on Fenway, Wrigley and Jacobs field
simultaneously. At a fevered pace
including every night after work until 1:00 am
and all day on the weekends, we built these
three fields which were completed on May 2, 2005
for our opening day.
We were working on the
fields that entire week all day and the night
before opening day until 3:30 a.m. The next day
we were working on the fields right up until the
time we had opening ceremonies.
On our first offical
opening day (May 2, 2005) we had three new
fields ready - Fenway, Jacobs and Wrigley
Field.
On opening day we even
had a parade down Court Street complete with
bands and fire trucks. We had opening day
ceremonies that introduced the teams,
presentation of the American Flag by Ohio
University's Color Guard, lined up the
teams and played the National Anthem, threw
out the first ceremonial pitch, had
programs, and opened the concession stand which
had been closed for 10+ years. It was a
grand sunny day.
In 2006 we added three
more fields, Three Rivers, Riverfront and
Crosley Field.
In 2007 we added The
Polo Grounds with the help of Rotary.
In 2008 we renovated
Dalton Field with the help of the Dalton
Family.
Over those
years the Athens Foundation awarded us
grants to help with these projects. The City of
Athens also contributed to the renovation with
funds and labor. Athens Sandlot agreed to
renovate the fields as long
as City allowed them to play their
season, host tournaments, and run the concession
stand to help repay the loan they took out to
fund the project.
The fields were built
with the help of the Board Members who donated
labor and money as well as organized
and raised funds for the project. Many people
donated their time and expertise to install the
fences, dugouts and backstop. Keith Bolin was
with us from beginning to end and layed the
first dugout block right up to the last.
Three Rivers, Riverfront and The Polo Grounds
were possible mostly becasue of the help
received from Jay Maiden (Maiden &
Jenkins).
