In "Extra Innings", SMAC faculty Nicholas Mainieri discusses the development of the Foundry Field: Home of the Giants, that is being constructed in South Bend and will bring the opportunity to play baseball to local youth.
The article follows local adult baseball league, the Sappy Moffitt League, named after famed Hoosier ball player Elmer Moffitt. This league, consisting of members aged between 27 and 61, brings the joy of baseball to adults who left the sport as they grew into their working lives. All 150 league members recall fond memories of playing ball in their youth and are sad to see the decline of the sport as youth sporting continues to become commercialized. The sport which once defined America is becoming less and less accessible for lower-income and working class communities, and this can be observed in South Bend. With few local parks and few potential teams to play against due to the rise of expensive travel baseball leagues, baseball has seen a sharp decline in South Bend.
Associated with the Sappy Moffitt League is the Sappy Moffitt Field Foundation, which aims to reconnect South Bend to its cultural heritage by building more ballparks. The Foundry Field is the pride of the Foundation, as the field will bring a ballpark closer to many local youths. The field will also contain a garden and vintage-style dugouts and buildings, bringing life to the community and connecting to South Bends roots. The field represents a future for South Bend which will include all ball players, regardless of accessibility issues.
As Maineiri concludes, when so much in the world seems so imperiled, what could be more worthwhile than building a garden with your neighbors in the middle of the place that you share?
Read the whole story here.