Volunteers continue improvements in Crofton
Younger players can't wait to play on city's diamond
By Nick Hytrek Journal staff writer | Posted: Monday, June 25, 2007
Flowers, shrubs and landscaping give left field at Crofton Baseball Field a backyard feel. (Staff photo by Jim Lee)
CROFTON, Neb. -- Seven high school-age boys stroll through the bleachers to the grassy terrace.
Icy pops and sunflower seeds in hand, they flop down in the shade of young ash trees, lean against the concrete retaining wall and kick off their shoes. Just a short pop fly away, Crofton's senior Legion team warms up in left field.
Beyond the group of boys, Bob and Kelly Filips, Bev Merkel and Cathy Scott relax in their lawn chairs on a second terrace, chatting while waiting for the first pitch.
"It's just so nice over here. It's quieter, a little closer to the action and the kids," said Kelly Filips.
Merkel offers a simple explanation for her seating choice: "I just like it here better. I don't like bleachers."
Not too long ago, Merkel didn't have any other option. Instead of well-manicured terraces, a weedy slope littered with rocks ran the length of the left field line. The remaking of that area into comfortable seating is one of many improvements the Crofton Baseball Association has made in the past 15 years to the park at the east end of the town's business district. After countless hours of volunteer time and an estimated $120,000-$150,000 raised through street dances, gun raffles and donations, the field, simply known as Crofton Baseball Park, has become an attraction in a community of 754 people who are intensely proud of their baseball tradition.
"When a stranger comes in town and they start talking baseball, I tell them don't leave before they take a look," said Dan Kaiser, a former longtime member of the Crofton Blue Jays, an adult team that shares the field with the town's two Legion teams and a team of 13- and 14-year-olds.
Visitors to the field pass under a brick and iron arch entrance (another recent improvement) downhill into a natural bowl. The third-base bleachers and left field terraces back into the high ground, which years ago was graded that way for a railroad line that never was built. By early afternoon, shade from a combination of young and old trees creeps across the third-base bleachers, keeping spectators cool. Shrubs and flowers give left field a backyard feel.
"It's just been a project of one thing after another," said Mick Reifenrath, baseball association secretary/treasurer. "People wanted something better than what we had."
What they've got now is a field that hosted last year's junior Legion state tournament. Coach Bob Hegge said state Legion officials no longer ask Crofton to submit photos of the park when it bids to host regional tournaments.
"They know what we've got," Hegge said. "I hate to sound like I'm bragging, but we're really proud of it."
Land for the field was donated in the 1940s by Bob Filips' father, Joe Filips, whose widow and son Randy live just past the left field fence.
"We used to play over here all the time when I was a kid," Randy Filips said.
So did Bob Gibson. Three years before the Omaha native began his Hall of Fame career with the St. Louis Cardinals, he spent the summer of 1956 pitching for Crofton's town team for an unknown salary.
"He was a little better than I was," said a chuckling Kaiser, a teammate of Gibson's on that Blue Jay team.
Though Gibson possessed extraordinary talent, the field, for much of its existence was ordinary.
The transformation began in the 1990s, when the baseball association stepped up efforts to turn the field into a gem.
Soon, the field had a grass infield. Agrilime replaced the plain dirt basepaths. Creaky old wooden bleachers were torn out. Whatever was needed, volunteers were always -- and still are -- willing to step up.
"When we need help, we just get on the phone and we have 30-40 guys show up," Reifenrath said.
Other fields may have more amenities outside the field, he said, but the playing surface ... well, let's just say the folks in Crofton wouldn't trade groundskeeper Jim Wortman.
"I've been on a lot of baseball diamonds," Reifenrath said. "As far as the playing field, I've been on Haymarket Park in Lincoln and the Explorers' park in Sioux City. We aren't too far behind."
Just playing at home is an antidote for his weary ballplayers, Hegge said.
"We'll play three games in a weekend on the road and we come here, it's refreshing," he said. "Everything's so nice, it gets you ready to play again."
The community's dedication to provide a premier park isn't lost on the teenagers playing Legion ball.
"It's awesome to be able to play on a field like this," 16-year-old Tyler Kleinschmit said. "Not many kids get to play on a field like this in high school."
Many of the younger kids who grow up playing baseball at the softball complex across town can't wait until they're old enough to play on the big field.
"When you're younger, you definitely look forward to playing on this field," 17-year-old Calvin Mueller said.
With $6,000-$10,000 a year coming from fundraisers and the city, the baseball association continues to think of improvements in its quest to have the best park in the area.
"A lot of times we sit and look around and we're proud of what this town has accomplished," Reifenrath said.
Randy Filips gazes out across the outfield grass. Pastures, cornfields and red barns dot the rolling hills beyond the outfield fence. The field no longer resembles the patch of ground his father gave to the city.
"He would think it was a pretty nice deal," Filips said.
Nick Hytrek can be reached at 712-293-4226 or nickhytrek@siouxcityjournal.com.
Icy pops and sunflower seeds in hand, they flop down in the shade of young ash trees, lean against the concrete retaining wall and kick off their shoes. Just a short pop fly away, Crofton's senior Legion team warms up in left field.
Beyond the group of boys, Bob and Kelly Filips, Bev Merkel and Cathy Scott relax in their lawn chairs on a second terrace, chatting while waiting for the first pitch.
"It's just so nice over here. It's quieter, a little closer to the action and the kids," said Kelly Filips.
Merkel offers a simple explanation for her seating choice: "I just like it here better. I don't like bleachers."
Not too long ago, Merkel didn't have any other option. Instead of well-manicured terraces, a weedy slope littered with rocks ran the length of the left field line. The remaking of that area into comfortable seating is one of many improvements the Crofton Baseball Association has made in the past 15 years to the park at the east end of the town's business district. After countless hours of volunteer time and an estimated $120,000-$150,000 raised through street dances, gun raffles and donations, the field, simply known as Crofton Baseball Park, has become an attraction in a community of 754 people who are intensely proud of their baseball tradition.
"When a stranger comes in town and they start talking baseball, I tell them don't leave before they take a look," said Dan Kaiser, a former longtime member of the Crofton Blue Jays, an adult team that shares the field with the town's two Legion teams and a team of 13- and 14-year-olds.
Visitors to the field pass under a brick and iron arch entrance (another recent improvement) downhill into a natural bowl. The third-base bleachers and left field terraces back into the high ground, which years ago was graded that way for a railroad line that never was built. By early afternoon, shade from a combination of young and old trees creeps across the third-base bleachers, keeping spectators cool. Shrubs and flowers give left field a backyard feel.
"It's just been a project of one thing after another," said Mick Reifenrath, baseball association secretary/treasurer. "People wanted something better than what we had."
What they've got now is a field that hosted last year's junior Legion state tournament. Coach Bob Hegge said state Legion officials no longer ask Crofton to submit photos of the park when it bids to host regional tournaments.
"They know what we've got," Hegge said. "I hate to sound like I'm bragging, but we're really proud of it."
Land for the field was donated in the 1940s by Bob Filips' father, Joe Filips, whose widow and son Randy live just past the left field fence.
"We used to play over here all the time when I was a kid," Randy Filips said.
So did Bob Gibson. Three years before the Omaha native began his Hall of Fame career with the St. Louis Cardinals, he spent the summer of 1956 pitching for Crofton's town team for an unknown salary.
"He was a little better than I was," said a chuckling Kaiser, a teammate of Gibson's on that Blue Jay team.
Though Gibson possessed extraordinary talent, the field, for much of its existence was ordinary.
The transformation began in the 1990s, when the baseball association stepped up efforts to turn the field into a gem.
Soon, the field had a grass infield. Agrilime replaced the plain dirt basepaths. Creaky old wooden bleachers were torn out. Whatever was needed, volunteers were always -- and still are -- willing to step up.
"When we need help, we just get on the phone and we have 30-40 guys show up," Reifenrath said.
Other fields may have more amenities outside the field, he said, but the playing surface ... well, let's just say the folks in Crofton wouldn't trade groundskeeper Jim Wortman.
"I've been on a lot of baseball diamonds," Reifenrath said. "As far as the playing field, I've been on Haymarket Park in Lincoln and the Explorers' park in Sioux City. We aren't too far behind."
Just playing at home is an antidote for his weary ballplayers, Hegge said.
"We'll play three games in a weekend on the road and we come here, it's refreshing," he said. "Everything's so nice, it gets you ready to play again."
The community's dedication to provide a premier park isn't lost on the teenagers playing Legion ball.
"It's awesome to be able to play on a field like this," 16-year-old Tyler Kleinschmit said. "Not many kids get to play on a field like this in high school."
Many of the younger kids who grow up playing baseball at the softball complex across town can't wait until they're old enough to play on the big field.
"When you're younger, you definitely look forward to playing on this field," 17-year-old Calvin Mueller said.
With $6,000-$10,000 a year coming from fundraisers and the city, the baseball association continues to think of improvements in its quest to have the best park in the area.
"A lot of times we sit and look around and we're proud of what this town has accomplished," Reifenrath said.
Randy Filips gazes out across the outfield grass. Pastures, cornfields and red barns dot the rolling hills beyond the outfield fence. The field no longer resembles the patch of ground his father gave to the city.
"He would think it was a pretty nice deal," Filips said.
Nick Hytrek can be reached at 712-293-4226 or nickhytrek@siouxcityjournal.com.
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jim wortmann wrote on Jun 25, 2007 11:53 AM: