CHESTERVILLE — Chatter filled the air Saturday, April 27, prior to the start of the first baseball game held this year at the Chesterville Community Ball Field located next to the David Archer Town Hall on Dutch Gap Road.

The Chesterville Recreation Committee was doing brisk business selling concessions while the North Chesterville Extension Homemakers offered a variety of baked goods for sale. At the new playground behind the hall numerous children were seen scrambling over the equipment. Nearby Wiffle ball skills were being honed.

“This is exactly what we envisioned,” Katlin Hilton, deputy town clerk and Chesterville Recreation Committee member, said.

Renovations made to the ball field which started last fall made it the first field in Franklin County to meet division program requirements for older youth.

According to the Cal Ripken Baseball website, the major division is recommended for youth 11 and 12 years old. Major 70 features a 50 foot pitching distance and 70 foot base paths, is an option for the major division format, and includes a tournament trail from district competition through the World Series in Branson, Missouri, at Ballparks of America featuring eight International Champions, it notes.

Shortly before 12:30 p.m. the Farmington Braves and the Wilton Grizzlies baseball teams lined up in front of the dugouts.

Danielle “Dani” Plancon, Chesterville Recreation Committee member and secretary/umpire coordinator for Farmington Area Cal Ripken League welcomed everyone to the opening ceremonies. While standing near home plate, she spoke of the field being in memory of Charles Wheeler and Elwood Harris who helped create the field. Lee Nile Sr., David Gray, Ron Howard, Elwood and Jeff Harris, Bob Leso, Gary Paul and Greg Soule are a few who helped coach teams, she noted.

“We appreciate everyone who was involved in creating this space for our youth,” Plancon said.

She spoke of Katlin and Eric Hilton who worked with others to build a playground at the town office, then took on the task of revitalizing the baseball field.

“Since we had a lot of ground work that needed to be done, we decided it was the perfect time to upgrade the field to 50/70 dimensions which allows for more competitive game play at the majors level,” Plancon stated. “This utilizes longer base paths and more distance between the pitcher and home plate. We are the first field in Franklin County to offer this level and it guarantees our team a spot in the state tournament trail.

“By being able to move the mound and bases we are able to host practices and games for multiple levels of play – T-ball all the way up through the majors. This allows us to offer sports opportunities to over 200 athletes this season.”

Jean Furbush, a daughter of Elwood Harris then spoke of him starting coaching in 1976 with Wheeler and how the current field was built starting in 1991. “Elwood coached his sons Jeff, Timmy, Jimmy, Stevie and daughter Bobbie Jo as well as the majority of the children in Chesterville,” she said.

His daughters were score keepers, several of his sons and son-in-law Aaron helped Elwood coach and he went on to coach grandchildren, Furbush said.

“The love he had for coaching and the game of baseball was evident by all that knew him,” she stated. “His dream was to build a new baseball field for children to play on for years and years to come. Elwood’s legacy will continue to live on for everyone who loves to play and watch the game of baseball.”

Junior Turner of Farmington first got to know Elwood while attending school in New Sharon. He told of a school game where he was playing second base. Elwood hit a double, told him he was going to steal third and then did so, he said.

“Elwood taught kids how to steal, was very good to his team,” Turner said. “He liked to see his team do well. He never criticized them for making a bad throw or error, said we’ll do better next time. He was very supportive.”

Turner enjoyed playing against Elwood’s team, watching him. “It was a fun time,” he noted. “Elwood must have loved the game and the kids.

Jodi Ellis sang the National Anthem, Elwood’s widow Rolene Harris threw out the first pitch and then Katlin Hilton called out “Play ball.”

 

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