Uniontown’s Bailey Park going to waste
It is 5:15 on a Monday afternoon at Bailey Park in Uniontown, and absolutely nothing is happening -except for the two tikes using the playground’s sliding board and swing set.
As for the rest — the two ballparks and the basketball court — nothing, and I do mean not-a-thing is going on.
It was deliberate on my part to amble into the confines of Bailey Park at this hour of the day. On summer days for half a century and more Bailey Park came alive as the clock struck 5. By 5:30 things were in full swing.
Two ballparks — a small diamond for little fry, a larger field for teens -resounded with chants (“hum, babe, hum, babe”), bats cracking baseballs, fists pounding leather mits, coaches calling out the batting order (“Yartz, you’re first up; Mongell second; Conchilla is third; Quarrick, you’re in the hole.”).
Always the umpires. “Strike Threeee.” “Out!” “No, you missed the tag, Zacoi.”
And for goodness knows how many years, there was Mugsy and Mrs. Mugsy. Mugsy’s popcorn was a Bailey Park staple, its aroma carried from one end of the park to the other by the bag full.
But this is nostalgia. This column is about the future of Bailey Park, not its past.
A year ago we learned of plans to grade the bigger ballpark, with an eye on fixing a drainage problem; following rain the outfield was frequently a swampy mess.
It appears the grading took place: a mound of dirt was scattered; grass was planted.
The result, because, it is obvious, there had been precious little maintenance, is a mess. The ballpark that was once the pride of Uniontown is once again overgrown; the infield is a wasteland, a patchwork of stumpy, uncut grass and weeds.
Homeplate, in its familiar place, is a forlorn reminder that they once played ball here.
The backstop, the dugouts, the stands, the outfield fence, are all reminders.
It looks like someone — lots of someones — forgot.
In Connellsville, there is talk of constructing a professional-grade baseball park next to the Youghiogheny River. Meanwhile, in Uniontown, a gem appears to be on the ropes.
Like doctors’ offices and shopping districts, sandlot ballparks have fled to the suburbs and townships. Eberly Field in North Union is a good example. (The folks in charge of Eberly, who have made it a success, perform an invaluable public service.)
An urban ball yard is a rare thing in this day and age. Lynch Field in Greensburg, while not all that far from Main Street, is on the edge of town. Latrobe has a magnificent sandlot complex. But it too is at a remove from downtown.
Not so Bailey Park.
When I visited the other day, I walked from the ball fields to the basketball court, pausing half way there to take a look at the large field, foul line to foul line. There, in the middle distance just beyond the park, was the courthouse tower and clock.
From centerfield the eye catches a glimpse of fine old Asbury Church and the neighborhood that runs up to Charles Street.
And standing at home plate it is possible to take in the high school field light standards and a splash of homes on Laurel Terrace. Most arresting of all are the mountains; Chestnut Ridge is a distant but distinct presence.
There is simply no excuse to let all of this go to waste.
At minimum, the city should maintain Bailey Park. Cut the grass, scrape the infields, lace the basketball hoops with nets! It says you care, and saying you care is an excellent strategy for keeping vandals at bay. If the city doesn’t respect Bailey Park, neither will they.
As strange as it might seem, keeping the fields in shape might — might -prompt a round of batting or fielding practice.
Who knows, an impromptu game might break out.
At least the place won’t look like a dump.
Let’s not be naive. Any more, kids do not play pickup baseball. They play in organized leagues, which is fair; organized leagues under adult supervision may very well have been invented by the denizens of Bailey Park’s past.
One league for each field in 2017 should be the goal. I like the idea of unaffiliated leagues. Soak up some of the kids — boys and girls — who are not considered skilled enough to play travel league ball as well as others who simply want to play as much baseball or softball as they can.
There have to be some kids who don’t want their season to begin in early April and end in late June. Schedule games from mid-May through mid-August.
If that doesn’t fly, then by all means affiliate: Little League, Pony League, the Cal Ripkin Jr. leagues. There are more.
It’s August. The time to get the ball rolling is now. Next spring is only an autumn and a winter away.
Richard Robbins lives in Uniontown and is the author of two books — “Grand Salute: Stories of the World War II Generation” and “Our People.” He can be reached at grandsalutebook@gmail.com.