MAINEVILLE, OHIo - The vision of Bill and Barbara Barnhill will come to life after two years of planning and fund-raising. One of the several quality of life community initiatives of the Kevin C. Barnhill Memorial Foundation, and perhaps the most far-reaching, the Kevin C. Barnhill Championship Baseball Field will open on Saturday, May 2 as a permanent legacy of their son, Kevin, who was killed in August of 2006. The Championship Field is located at the William Testerman Memorial Park in Maineville.
The Championship Field, to be completed in two stages, will serve as home for the Warren County Little League and Little Miami District 34 Knothole Baseball programs and will be the site for numerous interscholastic individual and tournament events starting with the Little Miami High School vs. Kings High School varsity game on Friday, May 1.
It is anticipated that several greater Cincinnati area “select” baseball programs will utilize the Field as their home during their Summer and Fall Ball seasons, including the Cincinnati Mustangs and the Cincinnati Sticks select programs.
Jeff Delaet, coach of the Cincinnati Mustangs said, “The Kevin C. Barnhill Championship Field has everything and more that a player dreams of when it comes to playing the great game of baseball. Our players will be traveling distances of 25 to 75 miles to play on this professional-level field. It just goes to show—“Build it and they will come.”
The Kevin C. Barnhill Championship Field is designed to be user friendly for players, coaches, game administrators, officials, and spectators. The hallmarks of the Field will include a playing surface with sub-ground irrigation that is architecturally consistent with Major League baseball standards, and a Memorial Plaza that will provide a natural gateway to the public seating. This is a privately funded project that will be owned and operated by the Hamilton Township Parks Board.
“This is a wonderful opportunity, not only for our Parks Department but for the children who play the game of baseball”, said Michael Munoz, Hamilton Township Trustee. “We are truly pleased that Baseball Tomorrow (an affiliate of the Major League Players Association) and the Cincinnati Reds have partnered with the Kevin C. Barnhill Memorial Fund to certify the importance of community outreach in providing quality, ultra-safe athletic facilities for our children.”
A full day of activities are scheduled starting at 9 AM as part of “Opening Day” festivities:
- A special skills featuring current college and high school coaches and former Reds major league players (9 - 11:45 AM
- Meet Mr. Redlegs take photos and get former Reds player autographs (10am-2 PM)
- Grand Opening ceremonies (12 Noon - 12:45 PM)
- Video clinics (1 - 5pm)
- Warren County Little League vs. Little Miami Knothole Youth Baseball (1 PM)
- Cincinnati Sticks “select” game
Kids interested in participating in the Champions Baseball Academy skills clinic should register in advance by calling Bill Barnhill at (513) 703-0810, or the Champions Baseball Academy at (513) 247-9511. Download Champions Baseball Academy Info.
Upon final completion in 2010, the Field will provide a forum for youth of all ages to compete in a “signature” structure and on a field surface that will be held to the “highest standard” of safety and quality, and promoters promise that it will be a facility that will create a presence for Hamilton Township outside the boundaries of Warren County and Southwest Ohio.
The public is invited to attend and participate in all activities throughout the day.
