HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) -
"Play ball" are words that are soon to be uttered in Allison Hill. Shovels broke ground Thursday on a million dollar baseball field in Harrisburg.
Huddled around a rusty chainlink backstop, a group of men reminisced when they were boys playing baseball. John Williams and his brother Ken played alongside Rick Green and others on the field behind the Boys & Girls Club on Berryhill Street.
Each is successful in their respective careers. Little did they know their Little League days on the sandlot would have taught each big life lessons.
"Those lessons that we learned we passed onto our players, pass onto our kids," said John Williams. "And that's what the Boys Club is all about."
Each is happy that baseball tradition is reborn. With shovels in hand, community officials, sponsors, and dignitaries broke ground on a new state-of-the-art baseball field.
Ollie's Bargain Warehouse, including local store owners Mark and Betty Butler, donated and helped raise $1 million to built the ballpark. Their philanthropy led the facility to be named Mark and Betty Butler Field at Ollie's Bargain Warehouse Park.
The synthetic turf field will be constructed behind the Boys & Girls Club.
The Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation also played a vital role into sponsoring the field. Former Orioles second basemen and foundation co-founder Bill Ripken was excited to unveil plans to the kids.
"It's not about building big league baseball players. It's about having kids enjoying a safe place to play," Ripken said.
Ripken, the brother of hall of fame Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. Both and teamed up with his famous sibling to start the foundation in honor of their father, another baseball legend.
Ripken said the foundation and his family namesake does carry a heavy baseball emphasis, but he vowed the focus is on giving opportunity to children.
"We're gonna put everything in, that's gonna be right from day one, and 20 years later, it'll be just as right as day one," Ripken said.
Bulldozers began leveling the field shortly after the event ended. Ripken said the field is on schedule to be completed in January 2013. He planned on coming back to Harrisburg next spring for a ribbon cutting ceremony.
Green and his sandlot buddies were filled with joy. Each hope future generations would get as much out of a ball field as they did.
"This field has been sitting here, hasn't been used. And, you think about all it did for you when you were young and how it's going to help these young people today. It's just a beautiful day," Green said.
