BERKELEY COUNTY, SC — A newly refurbished baseball field in Ladson was unveiled for the first time Monday, with help from Major League Baseball’s “Iron Man,” Cal Ripken, Jr.
Fans both young and old alike got the chance to meet the baseball star and young players spent time in a baseball clinic learning tips from the pro.
Ripken worked with several young ball players on their swing and their pitching. “He’s awesome,” said nine-year-old Bryson Basham, who plays for the Ladson Riverdogs team. “He said to wind up and have your shoulder facing the batter, the catcher.”
Eight-year-old Kerrick Pruitt of Summerville says he’s been a fan since he was born. He even did a school project outlining the accomplishments of the baseball legend. He got the chance to show his idol the project, and scored an autograph and a picture.
“That was really cool! He is really nice, and he is really good at baseball,” says Kerrick. He says he will remember this day forever.
The event also included an announcement of several field updates, a ribbon cutting, the baseball clinic by the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, food
trucks, games, inflatables, and photo opportunities for fans and families.
The whole event was thanks to Scotts Lawn Care Company and Major League Baseball. The Tom Conley Field off Discovery Road was selected by Scotts, MLB, and the Atlanta Braves for the improvements for the It’s Good Out Here Field Refurbishment program.
The Ladson ball field is the first of six fields across the country to be fixed up through the program. Enhancements at the Tom Conley Field include new infield sod, new fencing and backstops, scoreboard, grading the infield, painting the dugouts, and a new pitching rubber and home plate.
“Scotts, Major League Baseball, you are the bomb!” said the Ladson Youth Organization Athletic Director Clyde King. “Everybody involved, thank you very much!” King has been involved with the organization 47 years, which is an all-volunteer group that relies on donated time and materials. He says without this donation, the field never would have seen these much needed improvements.
Scotts funded the refurbishment to the tune of $150,000, and the company says it chose this site in particular because of Clyde’s passion for this sport.
“We looked across the state trying to find a really compelling story. We talked to Clyde, one of the things that really resonated was the commitment to the game, the commitment to youth baseball. He’s been involved with this for over 45 years,” Mike Davitt, Director of Scotts Lawn Business, said.
For Ripken, giving young players the chance to play on a top notch ball field and spreading the love of baseball is reason to celebrate.
“The kids’ faces when they get to walk out there and see the bases and see how it looks, it looks like an opening day. The experience of being in the big leagues, and experiencing opening day is a celebration in itself,” said Ripken. “They can certainly feel like a big leaguer with a field like this.”
Scotts and MLB will refurbish the five other local fields, which are located at various cities across the country, throughout the 2016 MLB season.
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