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Chatham, Ont. looking to build a second regulation size baseball field

Chatham, Ont. has a rich history with baseball, having seen its native son Fergie Jenkins inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame and recent honours bestowed to the Chatham Coloured All-Stars. But the city has a lack of quality playing fields needed to keep up with growing youth baseball registrations.

The Chatham Sports Hall of Fame and Chatham Minor Baseball Association wish to build a “Field of Dreams” for its own and help address the field needs of more than 700 players who registered last year.

Chatham has a regulation size diamond at Fergie Jenkins Field, but the next closest facilities are located in Wallaceburg and Blenheim. A new Intercounty Baseball League franchise in Chatham will limit the use of Jenkins Field for other teams.

City council has approved the formation of a Field of Dreams committee which will work with the municipality to find space for the construction of a second regulation size field. Such a field would also give Chatham a better chance at hosting large-scale tournaments.