Neighborhood Gets a Boost From Spruced-up Marsh Field
By Mike Mattson | Muskegon Chronicle
April 25, 2010, 10:33PM
Muskegon varsity baseball coach Tom Lopez appreciates historic Marsh Field.
He’s heard the oldtimers’ stories.
He’s read articles about the baseball diamond that served as home field to the professional Clippers and Lassies in years gone by.
And he grew up with special childhood memories at the park.
“My dad always brought me to the field,’’ Lopez said. “And I chased foul balls for Les David. He’d pay us a hot dog and a couple bucks to chase foul balls.’’
In recent years, Lopez watched the decline of Marsh Field, which serves as the home field for the Big Reds.
Weeds and dandelions invaded the grounds that Les David once cared for with his heart and soul.
The overall upkeep of the facility diminished.
And the playing conditions bordered on being unsafe. Infielders needed mouth guards and face masks as all ground balls were an adventure.
“There are players who dreaded to play here because of the playing conditions,’’ Lopez said recently after an OK Red home game against East Kentwood. “Everyone in the place knew about the Marsh Field ground ball.’’
Marsh Field, located at the busy corner of Laketon Avenue and Peck Street, simply became a victim of its time.
Obviously, the City of Muskegon has faced shrinking revenue and tight budgets. Officials had more important issues on their plate than the maintenance of a baseball field.
Enter the Lakeshore Baseball Club LLC, which reached an agreement in January with the city to operate, maintain and improve Marsh Field.
Take a visit to Marsh Field and you’ll notice some obvious improvements.
• The stands behind home plate sport a fresh coat of green paint and new green padding.
• Burned out bulbs have been replaced on the light towers.
• Dugouts have been refurbished and include a new step for players to view action on the field.
• Tons of new dirt/stone dust have been added to the infield.
• The scoreboard has been repaired.
• The home plate area and pitching mound were rebuilt.
• Baselines were cut and the place is neatly groomed. Players get to play on a lush green grass surface.
• All games have an announcer and the national anthem is played before each game.
• Ballpark food will be coming soon after inspections are complete, but for now there are basic treats available at the concession stand.
Overall, the best thing about Marsh Field is it’s alive with daily activity.
There are two games a night at Marsh, including high school and middle school action. Summer tournaments are being lined up as travel teams will come to town to enjoy the facility.
Neighborhood residents also enjoy walking and jogging on the paved paths that circle the Marsh Field perimeter.
The spruced up park is now the center of the Marsh neighborhood.
It’s alive with baseball and good clean fun.
The Lakeshore Baseball Club making over Marsh Field in Muskegon
MUSKEGON, Mich. (WZZM) - A city-owned baseball field in Muskegon will soon get a facelift, thanks to three businessmen who are also baseball enthusiasts.
The work at Marsh Field on Laketon Avenue will start this spring. The men have a new agreement with the city to take private control over the public park.
Read more: The Lakeshore Baseball Club making over Marsh Field in Muskegon
Lakeshore Baseball Club goes to bat for Marsh Field
By Dave Alexander | Muskegon Chronicle
January 30, 2010
MUSKEGON — In a move they are hailing as a home run, Muskegon city commissioners have reached an agreement with the Lakeshore Baseball Club LLC to operate, maintain and improve Marsh Field.
Commissioners last week unanimously approved a three-year contract with an organization led by two local, longtime amateur baseball promoters. Money will not change hands between the club and city but both expect to benefit.The city will get a group passionate about promoting baseball and willing to restore some of the glory to historic Marsh Field at Laketon Avenue and Peck Street. The Lakeshore Baseball Club will get a baseball field and revenues generated from the facility from tickets, concessions and advertising.
Read more: Lakeshore Baseball Club goes to bat for Marsh Field
ChannelCats Announce 18U Team Roster
Competition and interest was very strong as area high school baseball players tried out for the 2010 Muskegon ChannelCats 18U team at Extra Innings.
Our goal for this season was to improve our travel team in all areas according to Len Piasecki Muskegon ChannelCats President & General Manager. I think we will be better this year based on the talent level of the players that we looked at this past month during our tryout camps stated Len Piasecki.
I just want to thank all the young players that came out to Extra Innings for our tryout camps. They really made it hard on us to come up with an active player roster for this years top ChannelCats team stated Cats Head Coach Brandon Bard. Pete Gawkowski Jr. and I look forward to working with this group of talented young players. We have already started our cold weather training program this month. Our hope is to improve over last years season record and I confident we can do that if we all work hard to improve our playing skills here at Extra Innings during the cold weather months states Bard.
Returning for the 2010 season are last years key players Jared Conkle GRCC and Jamie Potts Oakridge. They will be joined by Drew Brackett Spring Lake, Buddy Burns Oakridge, Trenton Felt Shelby, Drew Johnson Reeths Puffer, Cody Jonas Orchard View, Brandon Melchert Mason County Central, Hayden Moses Muskegon Comm. College, Gary Orgreen Reeths Puffer, Ian Picard Orchard View, Kyle Plummer Shelby, Andrew Ulfsax Mona Shores, Heath Wagenmaker Grand Haven, Ryan Wagenmaker Reeths Puffer and Kyle Wasserberger Spring Lake
Marsh Field and Lakeshore Baseball Club
City of Muskegon wants private group to maintain Marsh Field
By Dave Alexander | Muskegon Chronicle
November 20, 2009
The old field where Jesse Owens once dusted his toes and Satchel Paige trotted the bases is about to get a facelift.
Marsh Field, on the corner of Peck and Laketon, has hosted professional baseball stars, an Olympic track champion and high school games for nearly 100 years. But, it’s starting to show its age.
And officials from the cash-strapped city of Muskegon, which owns and cares for the field, think it might be time to forge a relationship for upkeep of the field with a private entity.
Enter the Lakeshore Baseball Club LLC. The new organization, led by Pete Gawkowski and Len Piasecki, hopes to make improvements to the facility so that it can host local and out-of-town youth baseball activities from tournaments to summer camps.
“Marsh Field has been in a state of decline over the past 10 years,” said Gawkowski, a West Michigan Subway sandwich shop franchise owner and developer of Extra Innings — a Norton Shores indoor baseball training facility.
Marsh Field also has a walking path as part of the recreational facilities at the city park. A formal three-year agreement having the Lakeshore Baseball Club take over the operation and maintenance of Marsh Field is being put in final form by attorneys. The field would remain the home and practice field for the Muskegon High School Big Reds baseball team.
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