Minford's New Little League Field Opens

Article taken from The Portsmouth Daily Times, May 8, 2001

MINFORD — After not knowing where or whether their teams would play baseball this season, residents of Minford came out in large numbers Saturday to welcome their players to their new ball park.

Bill Stephens, Minford Little League president, said opening day went off without a hitch.
“Everybody’s playing ball and they’re happy,” he said. “That’s what matters.”

Twenty-three teams, from T-ball through junior league, marched onto new fields after the opening day parade.
The route took them from the old fields at the Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport, to their new home off Ohio 335, a few miles away.

However, parents and the league were never sure exactly when or if their children would be playing on the new fields because construction progress had been delayed more than a year.

To add to the uncertainty the fields the league had been playing on for more than three decades were plowed down by the airport authority board in February, with no warning to the league.

After airport authority board members and the Scioto County Commissioners vowed to ready the new fields in time for opening day, things began to progress quickly.

“It’s still not done completely,” Stephens said. “But there are different stages of done.”

He explained two fields were done enough to use, and two more were able to be used for a home run derby and T-ball.
Most of the fencing is up, but there are no scoreboards. They are using a generator for electricity and a Pepsi wagon for a concession stand.

When completed, the new ball park will have five fields.

Stephens said to make opening day as scheduled many people, including parents and contractors, worked quickly to ready the new fields.

“Everybody has really pitched in and done wonders for us,” Stephens said. “I want to say thanks to them and all this work they have done for the kids.”

Stephens said some items remain at the old ball fields, but he hopes to have them out by Saturday.

“Everything’s working real good now,” he said. “We haven’t had any complaints. Everything’s going smooth for a change.”