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The Booker T. Washington Revitalization Corporation is a community-focused non-profit organization based in Altoona whose 14 board members hold as their mission the upgrading of local parks, the enhancing of recreational spaces, and advocating for neighborhood spaces.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the iconic Veterans Memorial Field baseball park on Maple Avenue this year, the Central Blair Recreation Commission has teamed up with the volunteers from the Booker T. Washington Corporation to completely renovate the grandstands, dugouts, and field facilities at the venerable park.
And this Saturday afternoon, the Washington Corporation will host an official 100-year Alumni and Old-Timers Game for any former players from the ages of 50 to 90 who played baseball on the field in any of the city's leagues.
"We've been working on this since January,'' Booker T. Washington Revitalization Corporation president Lori Yeager said. "A committee of three people just made some phone calls, worked, and made this event happen.''
That committee included Corporation president Yeager, vice president Nikki McGough, and former president Shasta Langenbacher.
When reached earlier this week, Yeager said that over 50 former area baseball players who showcased their skills at Vets Field over the years have committed to playing in Saturday's game, which will feature two teams, with a set number of innings not determined.
"It could be five innings, it could be seven innings, but the game will probably end when the players get tired,'' Yeager said. "We have over 50 players playing so it will probably take (some time).''
Admission to the game is free to the public but donations will be accepted, Yeager said, and there will be three food trucks parked outside the field where concession items can be purchased.
The proceeds from the purchases will be used for the continued betterment of area fields.
Altoona resident Cory Geishauser, who served as the Altoona Curve's mascot Steamer for eight years, from 2000 to 2008, and wrote a children's book from the Curve dugout about the experience entitled "The Mascot with the Ascot," will be on hand Saturday for a book signing, and to throw out the first pitch for the Old-Timers game.
"I just got a copy -- it's a pretty good book,'' Yeager said of Geishauser's effort.
Also on hand Saturday will be Steamer's former ballpark sidekick, Diesel Dawg, a role that was originally filled by Charlton Jordan. The Diesel Dawg mascot first arrived on the Curve scene back in 2003, and is now semi-retired, making only select appearances.
A gift basket raffle will be offered to the public at the event, as well as sales of 50-50 tickets.
Vets Field -- which served as the home field for the Independent League Altoona Rail Kings franchise in the mid-1990s -- was built in 1926 by the Altoona Area School District and was ceded to the city of Altoona in 1960 and renamed Veterans Memorial Field.
Joe Fornwalt, a former player in the Altoona Greater City Baseball League who has spent the past four decades managing various teams in the league, served as the point man for getting Yeager the names of 64 former players whom he had contacted personally by phone.
Among the former players who have committed to playing in Saturday's game are Gene Decker, Don Appleman, Bill Edevane, Tom Irwin, Jr., his son, Tommy, Joe Piotti, Tom "Turtle" Smith, and former Rail Kings player Duke Neatrour.
"I was contacted in March, made the initial round of phone calls, got this list together for Lori, and God bless her -- after I got her the list of names, the committee followed up with everything concerning the commitments,'' Fornwalt said.
Fornwalt and former City League veteran Bill Schirf will serve as managers of the two teams -- whose rosters will be determined by the players drawing from a bag of white and red poker chips -- and Fornwalt said that he will actually also be playing in a game for the first time since 1988.
Gates will open for the players at 2:30 p.m., when the players will sign injury waivers, collect their shirts and caps, and renew acquaintances in alumni tents at the field.
After the players take batting practice, the national anthem will be sung by Devyn Amigh, and the game will start at 5 p.m.
Yeager is hoping for a nice public turnout for Saturday's game to commemorate the milestone anniversary of Vets Field.
"I hope that people come out to see the guys playing and support the game because it's going to be a lot of fun,'' Yeager said.