Editor:
When I began my teaching career here on the Coast in 1970, the only sports for kids happened in the elementary and high schools – and baseball at Hackett Park. Soccer on the Band Lands and fastball at Hackett were the only sports for adults, except for shuffleboard at the Wakefield Inn and pool at the Penn Hotel.
I began my first season of fastball on the Coast in May 1971, in a league that had been in existence for more than 20 years, from what I’m told. I have been involved with the league every year since 1971 as a player, manager, groundskeeper, or the past 12 years, as an umpire.
How disappointing to read emails from our mayor and parks manager about the removal of fastball from Hackett to Kinnikinnick Park without any prior consultation with any league representatives. The reason given: safety concerns. In my 48 years of attending games at Hackett Park, I have seen two cracked windshields, and no serious injuries to spectators or passersby. The families who lived adjacent to the ball field – the Rowland, Wilson, and Kohuch families – never complained about us retrieving foul balls from their front yards, because their kids all played at the field over the years. In 48 years hanging around the ball fields, the only cracked windshield I got was two years ago when I went up and watched my grandson’s slo-pitch tourney, at Kinnikinnick.
So how surprised was I this past Saturday, when I drove by Hackett and both diamonds were filled with young 13- to 16- year- old players, and both grandstands full with spectators, young and old? What a great afternoon of ball I watched. So what’s up, mayor and council? The 16-year-olds are allowed to hit foul balls onto the street, but the 17-year-olds playing in the men’s league can’t?
I am in no way suggesting that the kids shouldn’t be playing there – they most definitely should; that was why the field was originally built. Who is making these ridiculous decisions? Our community deserves better!
Jim Gray, Sechelt
