Play Ball!

—As told to Amy Barrett

H&K Sportsfields

“I grew up playing baseball and coached my kids through Little League. I knew the previous owner of this business-he coached a team I competed against when I was a kid. I ran into him in 2003 at one of my son’s games and he was talking about getting out of the business. This was an opportunity to branch out into an area I have a passion for. There’s a real nostalgia about baseball. And there’s a whole new group of people who have a passion for the game. It’s fun to see Little Leaguers come out to see a field after we’ve renovated it, with tears in their eyes, saying, ‘We get to play on this field?’”

WHO: Mike Parent
WHAT: Designs, constructs, and renovates baseball fields
WHERE: Egg Harbor, Wis.
EMPLOYEES: 5
HOW HE DID IT: Bought the business from an acquaintance after working in his family’s excavation company
COST OF A NEW LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL FIELD: $150,000

Bookmark to:

PRESS RELEASE:

Perry Township, Berks County, PA, April 1, 2009…Tobyn J. Wysocki, President and CEO of Pinnacle Dreams Sports Complex (“Pinnacle Dreams”), announced today plans to build a state-of-the-art, championship quality, multi-sport indoor and outdoor complex in Perry Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania. Pinnacle Dreams anticipates that the complex will have four full-size baseball fields and four full-size softball fields, two full-size soccer fields that will be able to support football, lacrosse, field hockey and rugby events as well, and an 80,000 square foot indoor facility for indoor soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, basketball, volleyball, wrestling, off-season baseball and softball training, and a fitness center. At least half of the baseball and softball fields are expected to have lights, and both of the soccer fields, in addition to having lights, are also expected to be turf fields. A concept drawing of the anticipated complex is shown below.

Follow the attached link for the entire April 2009 Press Release describing the project. http://www.pinnacledsc.com/

Bookmark to:

What is Magic Mix made of, and how it is different from the vitrified and calcined clays that Diamond Pro and Turface makes. We are always looking for the next best thing.

Here is a quick overview of Magic Mix.

Magic Mix Topdressing:
A finely crushed aggregate that has been proven over
the years to be a solid performer on ballfields,
especially in northern climates. It’s rich red color gives
any field a more professional finished look. Magic Mix
is fine enough to slide or dive on without worry of
player safety. Dense material that won’t wash away or
create dust. Just one-quarter to one-half inch coating
improves resiliency, slows the evaporation of moisture
from your infield skin and speeds reentry onto the field
after a rain event – minimizing the use of other drying
agents.

Because Magic Mix is made from crushed granite to finely tuned
specifications, it is more dense than the vitrified and calcined clay and as
a result:

• Magic Mix does not break down as easily or quickly.
• Magic Mix does not get as dusty when dried out.
• Magic Mix does not require the same amount of water on the materialto keep it playable in dry conditions.

Different from other topdressing materials, Magic Mix has been designed to
provide an outstanding playing surface under all weather conditions.
The “Magic” comes from our exclusive particle sizing and gradation.

• It provides increased player stability.
• It helps to protect the infield skin from excessive moisture loss.
• It allows surface water to move through and drain off skinned surfaces.
• It will not create a hard playing surface.
• It will not wash or blow away.
• It will not stain uniforms.

Magic Mix does not need to be replaced as often as other materials. It was
specifically designed to work well under low maintenance conditions.
Its deep red color reduces glare and contrasts beautifully with green grass
to highlight your turf.

If you would like a sample of Magic Mix sent to you, please let us know by filling out our contact form and we will be happy to get a sample to you.

Bookmark to:

We have compiled some before and after images of the sports field complex complete in Verona, WI.

Verona baseball field construction before photos:

[Show as slideshow]

 

Verona baseball field construction after photos:

[Show as slideshow]

 

Other before & during images:

[Show as slideshow]

 

Bookmark to:

So you are ready to build your very own field of dreams, and you can already picture yourself jumping and skipping in joy as you shake hands with The Great Bambino himself after hitting a grand slam!

A word of advice my friend, slow down before you call a press conference. First, you have to build a baseball field. True, if you build it, they will come, but let me assure you, building a baseball field is no simple task.

A baseball field consists of many parts: a home plate, the first base, the second base, the third, and the fourth base. There is also the batter’s box, the catcher’s box, the foul poles, the pitcher’s mound, the baseline, the grass line, the outfield, the bullpen and so on. Many baseball dreams have come true on the baseball field and some have been lost forever, and for those who have aspirations of batting grandeur, the batter’s box is considered a holy place, a sanctuary. It is the place where baseball batters call upon their heroes who have long gone, pleading for just a tiny bit of luck before they hit the ball.

Drawn in white chalk, the batter’s box is the area surrounding the home plate where the batter stands, when he is all set to receive pitch from his nemesis, the pitcher. To construct the batter’s boxes, first you must locate the home plate.

The batter’s boxes should be six foot by four foot rectangles and must each be six inches away from the home plate. Building wooden frames to establish the area where the batter’s box should be is advised.

You could also use a string to outline the perimeter of the batter’s boxes just to help you establish the batter’s boxes. Using hard clay, it is best to start from the bottom up when building up the area where the batter’s boxes should be. Inch by inch, add clay one layer at a time, moistening and compacting the soil to ensure the ground’s firmness. The clay material should end up level with the home plate itself which is relatively flat. Continue the process of adding layer upon layers of clay until the proper dimension is reached. Make sure that the batter’s boxes area and the home plate are as flat as can be. Use a board or a level to ensure this.

Once the lines are drawn, you are ready to stand inside the batter’s box and call upon the spirit of The Great Bambino! But before you get carried, remember that a batter’s box is just one part of a baseball field.

Nevertheless, if you follow these few simple instructions, you will be a step closer towards playing on your very own ‘Field of Dreams’. After all, if you build it, they will come… but only if you build it right.

Bookmark to:

After you’ve purchased the glove you want, you need to soften the leather. You can use a number of different oils and lotions to soften the leather of your baseball glove. Most people use shaving cream (preferably with lanolin), but you may also use others like Vaseline, mink oil, tanner’s glove oil, glove manufacturers oils, saddle soap, etc. Lubricate the glove with your lube preference, say shaving cream. Take a very small amount, and put it on a soft, clean cloth like a dish towel. Rub the shaving cream into the glove, being careful to use just enough to lightly coat the glove. Make sure it is rubbed in well, and no globs remain. Let it dry overnight. A word of caution when using oils, creams and soaps. Do not put too much as this will make the leather deteriorate faster and ruin your glove.

Now you need to form the pocket of your glove. Using a clean cloth, wipe your glove thoroughly after letting it dry overnight. Go out and play a game of catch with someone. The ball’s impact begins the molding and stretching process of the leather so it will conform to your hand and the ball with your catching style. A popular practice for forming the pocket of your baseball glove (other than playing catch) is to place a baseball (others say a softball is better) in the pocket and tie the glove shut with shoelaces, string or even a belt. Keep the glove tightly closed around a day or two and make sure to keep the glove in an area where the temperature is not extreme as this can hurt the leather. Use the glove each day and play catch with it for at least a few minutes a day. The regular work out will continue to soften your glove and form the best possible mold for your catching style. Put the glove away for the evening and continue to place a ball in the mitt and secure it. Do this for at least two weeks.

Follow these easy steps and you’re on your way to a great baseball season!

Bookmark to:

How important is the pitcher’s mound in the whole scheme of baseball? Well, on this little stage, the pitcher can either win or lose the game.If you are in charge of building the pitcher’s mound for your baseball team this season! Here are a few things to keep in mind, and learn from baseball history.

Historical Baseball mound dimensions

A regulation pitcher’s mound is an 18 foot (5.5 m) circle, its center, 59 feet away from the back of the home plate. Commonly called the ‘pitching rubber’, the pitcher’s plate should be 18 inches (45.7 cm) behind dead center of the mound. The mound should start to slope downwards towards home plate 6 inches (15.2 cm) in front of the pitching rubber.

The top of the mound should not be more than 10 inches higher than the surface level of the home plate. However, during different times of baseball history, the mound had been much higher. In fact, the height
limit from 1903 to 1968 was set at 15 inches though some teams are reputed to have higher. Baseball teams whose strength point lies in pitching are believed to have tallest mounds in the major league baseball.

Mound Construction

Now that we’ve covered the dimensions, the next step is construction. There are several approaches one can take towards the actual creation of a pitcher’s mound. One of the simplest ways is to start by building up the highest point of the mound or the plateau first. Then, establish the slope in front of the pitcher’s plate towards home plate until you reach ground level. Keep in mind the dimensions mentioned above when measuring towards home plate.

After the plateau has been set up, install the pitching rubber. A standard pitcher’s rubber is 24 inches by 6 inches. You can use a carpenter’s level to make sure the rubber is stays flat while it is being installed. Use moist clay and tamp the area around the pitching rubber using your hands or a tool. Keeping the mound soils moist but not sticky during construction is essential.

Build the mound inch by inch from the ground up. Use a heavy roller to tamp on the material so that the mound is firm. Keep the mound packed, layer by layer until you reach the correct dimensions for a regular pitchers mound. Maintenance is just as important as construction. When not in use, remember to cover the clay with plastic or tarp.

Bookmark to: