Boys & Girls Club of Evansville Cut Ribbon on New Baseball Field

A project nine months in the making became a reality this week as the Boys & Girls Club of Evansville officially opened their beautiful, brand-new, all-turf baseball field during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the field Wednesday morning.

Despite having the look of a baseball field with a green infield and outfield, as well as brown basepaths and a warning track near the outfield fence, the entire field does not feature any grass or dirt as you would see on a standard baseball field. Instead, the entire playing surface is made of synthetic material which is colored to look like a standard field. It also features a rubber base which gives it a light, sponge-like feel without hindering the player's ability to move on it. The rubber also provides a slight cushion for the players when they hit the ground. While it still may hurt a bit when they land hard, it won't be nearly as bad as the dry ground in the middle of the summer. Many high school football fields, including all within the EVSC, are made from the same material.

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The other beauty of the artificial field is that it will reduce the number of games being rained out. Unlike a standard field that will flood anywhere there's a dip in the ground if enough rain falls (usually around the bases from players running and sliding into them), a drainage system under the turf channels that water away into the city's water and sewage system. With that said, games will still be postponed or canceled if thunder and lightning are in the area.

The new field was made possible through donations by local corporations, such as CenterPoint Energy who the field is named after, as well as individuals from across the area. Not only will it serve as a place for children who spend time at the Boys & Girls Club to learn and play the game of baseball, but it will also host other teams and leagues such as RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities), a partnership between the Club and Major League Baseball, Buddy Ball, and Special Olympics.

The field is located at the corner of Bellemeade Avenue and South Evans Avenue.