Berkshire celebrates ballpark’s re-opening

Berkshire has a newly renovated baseball field, so a celebration was in order. Thanks to Berkshire Town Board member Fraser Williams, that’s exactly what happened.

At 6 p.m. on Friday, June 9, over 200 hundred residents and guests showed up to share in the celebration. And what would a celebration be without a baseball game?

Town Supervisor Ron McEwen opened the ceremony by asking Newark Valley team captains Ryan Rhodes and Jonah Williams to join Candor team captains Kodey Floyd and Zach Lang to form a color guard and stand on the pitcher’s mound with the American flag as the National Anthem was played. 

Then it was time for the long list of thanks acknowledging all the volunteers who made all this possible.  

McEwen stated, “Numerous people have noted how willing people in Berkshire are to volunteer around here. It’s all about ‘living local,’ the logo developed by our Berkshire Recreation Committee. This project is clear proof of this and it’s just the beginning.” 

The thanks started by recognizing Town Board member Ron Sharp who got the ball rolling when the Northern Tioga Youth League approached the Town Board last fall about upgrading the ball field at George M. Smith Memorial Field. He is directly responsible for securing two donations from former Berkshire residents, Allen Westfall and Stan Gardner.      

When Ron was no longer able to lead this project, fellow Board member Fraser Williams stepped up to the plate to see the project to its completion. He and George Lohmann built the concession stand, with body shop owner Gene Payne providing electrical power. Williams is also responsible for securing and installing the scoreboard, with the help of Dave Brame and Sam Davison.  

Davison did all the hard work of reinstalling the baseball diamond, with the help of Lester Brame. Williams, Lohmann, Keith Flesher, Brian Payne, Roger Howland, Dave Brame and Ed Sherwood upgraded the bleachers. Mark Randall was responsible for redoing the entrance sign to the George M. Smith Memorial Field, as well as signage on the scoreboard.  

The Berkshire Highway Department – Karl Spoonhower, Rob Howland, Bill Leonard, Bill Spoonhower and Steve Rozelle – removed some old tree stumps and did some grading, and Brian Payne and Dave Iannone moved the concession stand to its present location.  

Then it was time for the final touch. Spoonhower and his crew finished renovating of the dugouts and all was ready for the reopening.          

Newark Valley High School Band Director Maureen Preston pulled together a brass quintet, including herself and four high school students – Dan Lindhorst, Austin Bennett, Thomas Shofkom and Steve Cowulich. They played old time favorites “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” “In the Good Old Summertime” and “It’s a Grand Old Flag” to a cheering and grateful crowd.

Keith Flesher and his crew of hard-working young people provided refreshments including the iconic hot dog at 1980s prices. All this was followed by a Little League game.

There is more to come. With the support of the Town Board, the Berkshire Recreation Committee is submitting a grant application to install a children’s playground. More grants will be written to fund other recreation facilities for residents of all ages in Berkshire!

The score, by the way, was Newark Valley 13, Candor 11.