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Kansas City, MO —
As youngsters looked for missing belts, gloves and hats and parents and coaches did their best to organize a few pregame activities at Spring Valley Park, Frank White stood near the home team dugout and smiled.
“Do you know that this is the first baseball game played on this field in 35 years?” asked the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame second baseman as the Missouri Diamond Masters played the Kansas City Varsity Sports RBI (Reviving Baseball in the Inner-city) team. “What the Key Coalition and Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department has done with this park and the surrounding area is just amazing.”
For years, White’s former playground became a gathering point for junkies and drug dealers.
Now, the umpire’s call of, “Play ball!” resonates throughout the community park located at 28th and Brooklyn in downtown Kansas City.
And the man who inspired the community to re-name the baseball field Frank White Jr. Field was on hand to take part in the festivities.
It was a sun-drenched Saturday morning that featured two 10-under teams in a game that highlighted the Key Coalition Family Fun Day at the park.
“We have a very special partnership with the Parks and Recreation Department,” said Key Coalition spokesperson Karen Slaughter, whose husband Leon is a longtime friend of White’s. “Today, we have young men playing baseball in the park where Frank White played as a youngster and we hope he will serve as an inspiration for them to grow into the type citizens we can all be proud of.”
Mark Bowland, the manager of community services for the Parks and Recreation Department, said Saturday morning was a day that he will always remember.
“This is one of the greatest days in the history of the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department,” Bowland said. “We’re taking our parks back, we’re pushing out the negative elements and replacing them with the youngsters who are the future of our city.
“We’re just witnessing a baseball game here today, but this is a game that will make a difference – a positive difference – in our community.”
White threw out a ceremonial first pitch and visited with the members of each team, but refused to take any credit for the renaissance of the park and the surrounding area.
“All the credit goes to Karen and the Key Coalition Committee,” White said. “They pushed for the change, they did all the things you need to do to complete a project like this. And I’m proud to have my name associated with it.”
As the youngsters played and a picnic area was beginning to fill with members of the community, two KCMO police officers watched the kids play from a vantage point in center field.
“I bet they’re enjoying today,” an elderly fan said, pointing in the direction of the officers. “They probably had to deal with some bad things in this park. But thankfully, those days are over and now, we can all come out and enjoy some baseball.”
As youngsters looked for missing belts, gloves and hats and parents and coaches did their best to organize a few pregame activities at Spring Valley Park, Frank White stood near the home team dugout and smiled.
“Do you know that this is the first baseball game played on this field in 35 years?” asked the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame second baseman as the Missouri Diamond Masters played the Kansas City Varsity Sports RBI (Reviving Baseball in the Inner-city) team. “What the Key Coalition and Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department has done with this park and the surrounding area is just amazing.”
For years, White’s former playground became a gathering point for junkies and drug dealers.
Now, the umpire’s call of, “Play ball!” resonates throughout the community park located at 28th and Brooklyn in downtown Kansas City.
And the man who inspired the community to re-name the baseball field Frank White Jr. Field was on hand to take part in the festivities.
It was a sun-drenched Saturday morning that featured two 10-under teams in a game that highlighted the Key Coalition Family Fun Day at the park.
“We have a very special partnership with the Parks and Recreation Department,” said Key Coalition spokesperson Karen Slaughter, whose husband Leon is a longtime friend of White’s. “Today, we have young men playing baseball in the park where Frank White played as a youngster and we hope he will serve as an inspiration for them to grow into the type citizens we can all be proud of.”
Mark Bowland, the manager of community services for the Parks and Recreation Department, said Saturday morning was a day that he will always remember.
“This is one of the greatest days in the history of the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department,” Bowland said. “We’re taking our parks back, we’re pushing out the negative elements and replacing them with the youngsters who are the future of our city.
“We’re just witnessing a baseball game here today, but this is a game that will make a difference – a positive difference – in our community.”
White threw out a ceremonial first pitch and visited with the members of each team, but refused to take any credit for the renaissance of the park and the surrounding area.
“All the credit goes to Karen and the Key Coalition Committee,” White said. “They pushed for the change, they did all the things you need to do to complete a project like this. And I’m proud to have my name associated with it.”
As the youngsters played and a picnic area was beginning to fill with members of the community, two KCMO police officers watched the kids play from a vantage point in center field.
“I bet they’re enjoying today,” an elderly fan said, pointing in the direction of the officers. “They probably had to deal with some bad things in this park. But thankfully, those days are over and now, we can all come out and enjoy some baseball.”
