New Little League field will be named for Sheetz

From Mirror reports

HOLLIDAYSBURG - The Hollidaysburg Area Summer Baseball League will have a new look in 2010.

The Sheetz family has donated more than $150,000 to rename the field in memory of the late Joe Sheetz, who passed away from kidney cancer in 2006.

"My dad spent his last best days watching my younger brother Tyler play his 12-year-old season," Travis Sheetz said. "My dad often mentioned to me that 'Hollidaysburg really needed a new field,' so I thought it was a fitting way to honor his memory."

The league's board approved the proposal in 2007, and a new field was installed last week.

Hummer Turfgrass Systems of Manheim was contracted to construct the field, provide drainage and irrigation and lay the sod. Hummer "has done work on countless sports fields, including Beaver Stadium, Medlar Field and Jeffrey Field at PSU and the two fields at the Little League World Series in Williamsport," Travis Sheetz said.

Craig Fencing of Altoona is working on the fence around the field.

The total cost of the project, Sheetz said, exceeds $250,000.

"We have received additional funds through the sale of outfield signs, which we are still actively pursuing," he said. "In addition, we have received great support from several area businesses, most notably the Delozier family, Stiffler-McGraw and ICG for the project design and engineering, Bolger Brothers, Grannas Brothers, Yingling's Tree Service and G&R demolition."

Sheetz said Ralph Albarano Construction has pledged its support to build the dugouts and concession stand, which will be completed over the winter, and The Hite Company has pledged its support on the lighting.

"The field construction is done, and it looks awesome," field committee member Bill Sauserman said. "The kids are already excited for the season to start. We have many local businesses and individuals to thank, but the field renovations would have merely been cosmetic without the gracious generosity of the family of the late Joe Sheetz and the rest of the Sheetz family and organization. The new field has generated a renewed excitement for Little League baseball in the community."

The old field had been in place for "a long time, over 50 years, I think," Sheetz said. "It was deteriorating and presented some unsafe conditions."

Sheetz said the field committee worked closely with the Hollidaysburg Area School Board to put together a new lease agreement between the school district, which owns the property, and the HASBL.

"The school district owns the land the field sits on," Sheetz said, "so we put together a long-term lease so we could be assured that the Little League would have a definitive home."