Build it and they will come.
That’s pretty much the theme behind the work being done at the youth baseball fields at Whittington Park, led by coordinator Willie Young and Cyndi Long of the Greenwood Convention and Visitor’s Bureau.
The league, which Young said hopes to start play in May, will still be called the New Stone Street Baseball League but with a much different look.
The fields are located near the Greenwood City Parks facility, and they are getting a complete makeover, according to Young.
“The old fencing is being taken down and replaced with new fence, as well as guards placed on top of the fencing to prevent any injuries,” the former Greenwood High head baseball coach said. “We’ve had to replace post and rails and do some painting.
“We have one man doing construction on the dugouts and fencing, and P.T. Staples is pouring concrete slabs for the dugouts and new batting cages. We have Dixie Roofing doing roof work on the concession stand and bathroom and storage building, and a sprinkler system is being installed by Professional Lawn Sprinklers out of Drew. The fields are also going to be sprayed, and the grass fertilized when it’s time for that.”
Young said that donations, from individuals and the GCVB, are paying for the work.
“We got bids for all the work to be done,” Young added. “Through the Baseball Alliance, a group of former Major League players like Curtis Granderson and C.C. Sabathia, we have 60-70 boxes of equipment for the kids to use. They provided us with bats, gloves, catching gear and other equipment. This is called the Delta project.
“They are looking to do the same thing in Cleveland and other Delta towns, but Greenwood is the first to get going.”
The New Stone Street League will be for kids ages 4-12 from T-ball to coach/pitch and 9-10 and 11-12 year old leagues.
Young added that new wiring and dugouts are also being constructed by Billy Jordan at the high school baseball field where Greenwood plays its games, but overall, Young is thrilled with the progress of the project.
“Work is coming along. We installed new roofs on concession stand and bathrooms. Putting in sprinkler system in all four fields,” Young said. “We’re putting new fence caps on new fences, and crushed red-brick material in all the infields.
“Also, we’re putting new tops on dugouts, fences and all tops that are rusted out,” he added. “They all will look red.”
-Contact Calvin Stevens at 662-581-7234 or cstevens@gwcommonwealth.com.
