'A beautiful field'

ELIDA — The grass is bright green and the dirt is perfectly manicured.

The red numbers glow off the inning-by-inning scoreboard.

With spacious restrooms and concessions just a feet away, Ed Sandy Field is a perfect place to watch a baseball game.

“I’ve scouted the Midwest for 30-some years and this is one of the finest high school facilities I’ve seen,” former Major League Baseball scout Lima’s Jim Martz said. “One of the great things about it is it drains real well and they get the games in here. ... It’s one of the best and has all the amenities you might need.”

The Lima News’ sports staff today ranked the top baseball fields in the area and Ed Sandy Field came away with the No. 1 ranking.

A number of factors figured into the rankings including field care, quality of the infield, scoreboard, bleachers, restrooms, concessions, dugouts, pressbox and general atmosphere.

Coldwater’s Veterans Field is No. 2, while Bluffton University’s Memorial Field is No. 3, followed by UNOH Racers Field at No. 4 and Shawnee at No. 5.

Rounding out the top 10 are 6. Columbus Grove, 7. Simmons Field, 8. Kalida, 9. Lima Central Catholic’s Players Field and 10. Lima Senior’s Joe Bowers Field.

Elida longtime baseball coach Mark Thompson said he’s been lucky to have people like Ed Sandy and now Jody Long doing the groundskeeping.

“We’ve had such good workers on this field, with Ed Sandy for so many years and now Jody does a great job, I’m kind of spoiled as a coach in that they do most of the work, where as most of the schools the coaches do most of their own work,” Thompson said.

“The most satisfying part of the whole thing is that it’s been our own baseball program, our players and our parents who have done all the fund raising for it. We did it piece by piece. We did the grass infield, then we did the windscreen, then we did scoreboard and the pressbox.”

The dimensions are a cozy 306 down the lines, 345 feet to the alleys and 360 feet to center.

“I like the dimensions,” Thompson said. “Some people probably think they are too close. For a high school field, I think the dimensions fit pretty well.”

Groundskeeper Jody Long has taken over the groundskeeping chores for Ed Sandy and can be seen on the field each morning and after every game.

“It takes a good two to three hours (a day),” Long said. “First thing in the morning I have a diamond groomer and go out and open the dirt up and let it air out. While that’s airing out, you do some home plate and mound work with hand tools and rakes.’’

Every other day, there’s an hour and a half of mowing. Dragging the field comes daily, along with edging the infield grass.

Then comes the extra work if it rained the night before.

“We don’t use the diamond dry unless absolutely necessary,” Long said. “I feel diamond dry holds the moisture and when it gets dry, it makes the diamond hard. We use puddle pillows. You throw these pillows out there and it soaks the water up. I don’t use a broom because that just makes the holes deeper.”

The players take pride in their field, as well.

“It’s a beautiful field,” Elida’s Mackenzie Hampshire said. “The green grass, I love it. I love taking batting practice out here, it’s so fun.”

Added Elida’s Andrew Clevenger, “The grounskeepers really do a nice job of keeping the dirt in good shape.”

Elida assistant coach Randy Prince likes the ambiance.

“It feels like its home,” he said. “It’s a homey ballpark and it plays well.”

And while Sandy no longer maintains the field, he still keeps track of the Bulldogs and the field that bears his name.

“Ed lived for baseball. This is Ed’s baby,” Long said. “Whoever takes care of it has to take pride in it. We expect the kids to do their best so I feel the groundskeeper should do his best to make it look good for them and make it play well for them.”

Martz believes Sandy’s longtime role can’t be understated.

“This is his legacy,” Martz said of Sandy. “He was a grounskeeper extraordinaire and he has his personal touch on this field every place you look. It’s professional in every aspect. You see minor leagues park that aren’t as good as this.”

The Area's Top 10 Ballparks

Top ballparks

1. Elida’s Ed Sandy Field

Dimensions: 306-345-360-345-306

Atmosphere/ambiance: On a nice, sunny day Ed Sandy Field is what baseball is all about. The grass is green and the infield looks like a minor league park. Home run balls to left can fly into the trees. Sometimes you see fans watching for the nearby soccer pressbox. Grade: A+

Field maintenance: Everything is immaculate, from the mound to the batter’s box to every speck of dirt on the infield. Bad hops? Not here. Grade: A+

Fan friendliness: Spacious restrooms are right next to the parking lot. The concession stand is right behind the backstop. Grade: A

Scoreboard: The inning-by-inning scoreboard is easy to read. Grade: A+

Stands: There’s plenty of room to handle even a packed tournament crowd. Lawn chairs are welcomed. Grade: A

By the way: The Scott Harmon Memorial honors the former Bluffton player. Tradition counts, as well, and there have been quite a few memorable district and regional tourney games here over the years. Grade: A

Overall: It’s the perfect place to take in a game. Grade: A+

2. Coldwater Veterans Field

Dimensions: 335-348-380-315

Atmosphere/ambiance: Located in Coldwater Memorial Park, it’s an ideal setting. There’s also a residential touch with houses beyond the right-field fence, including the home of Hall of Fame former Coldwater baseball coach Lou Brunswick. Brunswick built a hill in left-center field to replicate the left-field terrace at old Crosley Field. Grade: A+

Field maintenance: Coldwater, a five-time state champion, makes sure its field is on the same par as its baseball tradition. Grade: A

Fan friendliness: New restrooms and a concession stand were added last year. Grade: A

Scoreboard: A nine-inning scoreboard, along with a full-size batter’s eye. Grade: A

Stands: The grandstand overhang is perfect on a wet, soggy day. The wraparound bleachers have been updated and there’s even a concrete handicap seating area. Grade: A+

By the way: The Cavaliers have a tarp and will play on days most teams can go fishing at second base. The huge new pressbox seats 30. Grade: A

Overall: Baseball and the town of Coldwater go hand in hand. Grade: A

3. Bluffton University Memorial Field

Dimensions: 330-375-400-375-330.

Atmosphere/ambiance: As you enter the park you pass right by the Circle of Remembrance Memorial, a moving tribute to the players who lost their lives in the bus crash. Grade: A+

Field maintenance: The infield dirt is top of the line and resembles Fifth Third Field in Toledo. Much pride is taken in this ballpark, in which the infield grass and dirt are all new since the memorial. Grade: A+

Fan friendliness: Restrooms are located right behind the pressbox. The mobile concession stand is only a few feet away from the pressbox. Grade: A

Scoreboard: The inning-by-inning scoreboard is tucked away in foul territory behind the first-base dugout. Grade: B

Stands: There’s not a whole lot of seating for regional tournament games, but lawn chair seating behind the backstop is an excellent view. Grade: A

By the way: The net backstop is first class and makes it easy to see through. The dugouts are as big as some housing developments. Grade: A+

Overall: With the trees in right and Salzman Stadium beyond the left-field fence, it’s a great setting to watch a game. Grade: A

4. UNOH Racers Field

Dimensions: 327-375-396-375-326

Atmosphere/ambiance: It’s a jaw-dropping park, but since it’s in the first year, the tradition factor will take time. Grade: B+

Field maintenance: The infield dirt and grass infield have a professional touch. Grade: A

Fan friendliness: Restrooms are a short trek to the clubhouse area in center field. A portable concession stand is handled by a local restaurant. Grade: B+

Scoreboard: It’s an inning-by-inning board, with a full color message center displaying graphics throughout the game. Grade: A+

Stands: There’s seating for 1,000. Phase 2 will include seating for 2,000. Grade: A

By the way: There’s plenty to like including an infield tarp, turf bullpens, heated dugouts and a heated and air conditioned press box. Grade: A

Overall: Phase 1 is very impressive. Imagine when Phase 2 is complete. Grade: A

5. Shawnee High School

Dimensions: 305-345-380-345-305

Atmosphere/ambiance: Walking in beyond the right-field line offers a great view of the ballpark. There’s the center-field scoreboard, the hill beyond left field and the pine trees behind the right-field fence. Home run balls can land on the hill in left or on the tennis courts in right. Grade: A+

Field maintenance: It’s one of the best-kept fields around, but the Locos used to talk about the “Shawnee lip,” a spot on the left side of the infield where ground balls took on a wild life of their own. Grade: A-

Fan friendliness: The restrooms are great, but one needs to walk to the football stadium and could miss a few batters in the process. The concession stand is the home of the best hotdogs in the area. For the Locos, the dogs and burgers were cooked on a grill and came with homemade sauce. Grade: A-

Scoreboard: The inning-by-inning scoreboard is excellent, but it’s reliability has never been its strong point. It was a major headache for the Locos. Grade: B

Stands: There’s an ample variety here, with aluminum bleachers behind the dugouts and wooden ones behind the plate. Several picnic tables provide a great touch. Grade: A

By the way: The large batters’s eye in center is hitter friendly. Grade: B+

Overall: It served as a great home to the Locos for years. Grade: A

6. Columbus Grove

Dimensions: 315-345-365-325-300

Atmosphere/ambiance: The park is tucked away back behind the football stadium in a cozy location. Trees surround the outfield fence. Grade A-

Field maintenance: Coach Cory King has done a nice job continuing the tandard set by former Bulldogs coach Tom Weber. Grade: B+

Fan friendliness: A brick concession stand, with restrooms, is only a short walk away. Grade: A-

Scoreboard: The Bulldogs have a sharp inning-by-inning model. Grade: A-

Stands: There are stands behind both dugouts and room for lawn chairs behind the plate. Grade: B+

By the way: A new brick wall backstop and black mesh netting are excellent additions. Grade: A-

Overall: The grass is usually bright green. Grade: B+

7. Simmons Field

Dimensions: 327-355-400-355-327

Atmosphere/ambiance: The trees and Ottawa River behind the right-field fence are a nice touch. The Locos blacktopped the area around the concession stand and restrooms. Grade: B+

Field maintenance: The field has come a long way since the Locos moved in. No longer is there a Grand Canyon-like drop behind shortstop. Grade: B

Fan friendliness: The all-in-one pressbox, concession stand and restrooms give the fans everything they need right behind the backstop. The concession stand for the Locos offers excellent burgers and hotdogs on the grill. Beer is also served at the game. Grade: A

Scoreboard: The old-style, 1960s-like scoreboard needs to be taken out to pasture in favor of an inning-by-inning model. Grade: D

Stands: There are plenty of bleachers behind the plate and down both lines. Lawn chairs can be set up in several key spots. Grade: A

By the way: The entrance way is a great touch, with the ticket booth, souvenirs and Locos’ memorabilia having a home there. Lights provide for night games in the GLCL. Grade: B+

Overall: The Locos have made it a cozy home, but the team’s wish list includes a new batting cage and scoreboard. Grade: B+

8. Kalida

Dimensions: 312-340-359-342-319

Atmosphere/ambiance: The old-style green wooden covered grandstand echoes back to the days when it opened in 1949. There are framed clippings of Satchel Paige pitching there on barnstorming tours. On a wet, rainy day, like this entire spring, the grandstand is a welcome escape. Grade: A+

Field maintenance: The all-dirt infield doesn’t bode well on many April days in Ohio. Grade: C

Fan friendliness: The concession stand is right at the corner of the grandstand. Grade: B+

Scoreboard: The home/away digital board replaced the old model which was kept by hand by a few players. Grade: C

Stands: The grandstand has been around a while, but it’s a perfect way to escape the rain or sun. Grade: A+

By the way: Regional and state banners line the right-field fence. They have a high “monster” fence in right. A huge poster of Gene Stechschulte pitching at Wrigley Field adorned the fence until it came up missing. Grade: B+

Overall: It’s good to know you can escape the elements on a lousy day. The ballpark oozes history and the days of the barnstorming teams. Grade: B+

9. LCC Players Field

Dimensions: 315-340-365-340-315

Atmosphere/ambiance: Being a new field, this part is still developing. The brick wall and black net backstop set the park off in impressive style. The dugouts are big and impressive. Grade: B+

Field maintenance: The field can soak up water well and looks great for a new park. Grade: A-

Fan friendliness: Restrooms are in the gym, when it’s open. If not, it’s off to the port-o-potty down the right-field line. A concession shed is set up in the right-field parking lot. Grade: C

Scoreboard: The inning-by-inning scoreboard is impressive. Grade: A

Stands: The stands behind the plate easily accommodate fans. Grade: B

By the way: The woods and houses beyond the left-field fence provide a homey, scenic touch. Grade: B

Overall: A concession stand/restrooms/pressbox building would complete what already is a great field and move it much higher on the list. Grade: B

10. Lima Senior Joe Bowers Field

Dimensions: 325-340-365-340-325

Atmosphere/ambiance: On the edge of downtown, one can watch the cars zip by just past the outfield fence. There’s a view of Lima Stadium beyond the right-field fence. ACME ball under the lights is a great way to beat the summer heat. Grade: B

Field maintenance: It depends when you go. The field has been good at times and very rough during summer ACME ball. Lima Senior coach Jimmy Morris does all he can, but has little help. Grade: C

Fan friendliness: A portable concession stand has been set up behind the plate. Restrooms are inside the school building. The sound system is very good. Grade: B-

Scoreboard: The inning-by-inning scoreboard is a plus. Grade: A

Stands: Stands are located around the plate are and some down the lines. Grade: A-

By the way: The brick wall and mesh netting around the backstop are signature marks for the park. Grade: B+

Overall: As with LCC, a concession stand/restrooms/pressbox facility would be help finish off a nice park. Grade: B

Honorable mentions: Ottawa Legion’s Larry Cox Memorial Field, Bath, Wapakoneta, Leipsic, St. Henry.