Behind the Mic: Balliet Stadium – The Lehigh Valley’s Field of Dreams
“If you build it, they will come” As the 1989 movie cast of Field of Dreams prepares for their 25-year reunion, I can only imagine a similar sentiment among the founding developers of Coplay’s Sammy Balliet Stadium back in the 1940’s. This ball field, which would become for so many years the centerpiece of high school and American Legion baseball, must have warranted a similar aura and mystique as that famous Hollywood cornfield in Iowa did.
But, much like any movie that is 25 years old, Balliet Stadium, now in its 60’s, is showing its age and it needs a refurbishment. As a young boy, playing the game and later broadcasting big games there, I can vividly remember how special a visit to Coplay to see baseball was. No one taught the game better than Sammy Balliet. He more than stressed fundamentals; he insisted they become instinctive. And Balliet not only taught baseball, but he taught life lessons. His 1959 and 1960 Coplay Legion teams won state championships. There was never an argument that the stadium located at North 8th Street and Potter Alley deserved to carry his name. And this stadium continued to carry Sammy’s vision for young people long after his death.
But today, that stadium needs work. It demands to be refurbished. With a history of so many young people having played on this field, so many championship games decided, and so many memories instilled in players, parents, and baseball fans, this field deserves a facelift. Hundreds of volunteers over the many years have labored with their muscles, their sweat and their time to keep the stadium going. They are still willing to labor, but now they need money and that’s the problem.
You see, it was never about the money here. It was always about BASEBALL! It was always about KIDS! And, to everyone’s credit, it still is. Now it is time for those who have the ability to financially aid in the revival of this Coplay landmark to step forward and grant the necessary funds to bring back this treasure.
In Field of Dreams, the question is asked, “Is this heaven?” The answer is one that has been experienced at Balliet Stadium since the day the first ballplayer put on the cleats and stepped out on the field. “Is this heaven?” “Oh, yeah. It’s the place where dreams come true”.
Do not let this place where so many dreams have come true for so many young people deteriorate any further. Help the dedicated volunteers with the one resource they need the most – money. It will be money well-spent. History has proven that over and over again.
ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)
1. Are you still watching the World Cup? Now that the “USA!” has been eliminated, does soccer still interest you? In the quarterfinals with eight teams playing, there were a total of 5 goals! That’s just not enough excitement for me. Reduce the size of the field, take some players off each side, and eliminate off-sides. Now you have a game I can watch. That’s just me. Or is it? Will soccer interest wane again now that the World Cup is drawing to an end? P.S. I find I can watch the NFL no matter who is playing.
2. Speaking of professional sports I can’t watch – UFC fighting (feel guilty enjoying the beatings); professional tennis (too long); auto racing (only the Indy 500 interests me thanks to the Andretti’s); bowling (I actually used to watch this as a kid); cricket (I have vacationed often in Antigua where they LOVE this sport-I only showed interest there out of respect); cycling (a very long trip made easier by car); rugby; etc., etc…
3. In case you were wondering, in 2014, 35% of fans said the NFL was their favorite sport, followed by Major League Baseball (14%), college football (11%), auto racing (7%), the NBA (6%), and college basketball (3%).
4. Chase Utley will be the only Phillies representative in this year’s All-Star game. Two things worked in his favor – every team needs a representative and he had a great start to the season, hitting .320 entering June. He’s hit .232 since. This is his sixth All-Star start at second base. Ironically, Phillies manager, Ryne Sandberg, has the most National League second base starts in history with nine.
5. Speaking of slumping, Ryan Howard is 3 for his last 32 at bats and none of those three hits was an extra-base hit. Everyone is screaming for the Phillies to make a whole bunch of trades, but except for Cole Hamels, who would get them the players they need to become a contender? Phillies fans may be looking at a number of really dismal years.
