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West Tampa Baseball Complex Upgraded

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By KEITH MORELLI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 25, 2007

Updated: 09/25/2007 02:44 pm

Photos From The Event

TAMPA - The West Tampa Little League complex, long considered the spawning ground for local baseball talent that has sprinkled the major leagues with players for decades, has gotten a big-time renovation, thanks to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and a handful of local businesses.

Officials called the six-month project a "mini-renaissance," after years of ebbing participation by the region's talented young ballplayers, and injected about $100,000 in money and work to make improvements.

The hope is that the new complex will bring some of the old glory back to West Tampa baseball. Over the years, the area has produced some of the top talent in the nation, from Al Lopez in the 1930s to today's big-league players and managers, including Luis Gonzalez, who got his start in the West Tampa Little League, Tino Martinez,Tony La Russa and Lou Piniella.

West Tampa, home to Tampa's sizeable Hispanic population, has always embraced its baseball heritage, and with the inspiration of Hall of Famer Lopez, who played his high school baseball at Jesuit, dozens have followed, gracing the diamonds of Major League Baseball and putting Tampa on the map.

Greats like La Russa, Gonzalez, Tino Martinez and Fred McGriff played their baseball at Jefferson High School. Steve Garvey learned his skills at Chamberlain. Piniella, Dave Magadan and Brad Radke played at Jesuit.

Perhaps a dozen others, lesser known, who got their starts in West Tampa earned major league paychecks as well, and many have played on the West Tampa Little League fields.

But the complex, rimmed by red brick streets and 100-year-old oak trees, has fallen into disrepair, said Carlos Teijelo Jr., president of the 240-player league. There were ruts in the outfield, the pitching mounds were sunken and lumpy and the bases didn't conform to new Little League regulations. The concession stand was a mess, to the point where people wouldn't go to watch the games and players were heading to other leagues in the city.

The renovations will bring people back, he said. It already has resulted in 70 more players signed up for the winter league than were in the spring league.

Teijelo stood on the level field of fresh sod, with a manicured infield and whiter-than-white bases, and beamed.

"This," he said, "is a godsend."

He talked about baseball and what it means to West Tampa residents.

"To us, it's a legacy," he said. "We have a lot of pride over here." The complex has four fields, including two baseball fields, a softball and a T-ball field. The land is leased from the city, but the league is responsible for maintenance, Teijelo said. That includes mowing, lining and painting.

Tuesday morning unveiled the fresh start, he said. Well, almost. With the winter season's first games scheduled for Saturday, the new concession stand still needs some kitchen equipment.

The complex, at 2000 N. Jamaica St., is the recipient of money donated by the Devil Rays and several local businesses.

The cash paid for improvements to the four fields, the replacement of an old and rusty roof over the home plate bleachers and the brand new concession stand that took the place of one built more than 40 years ago.

The Devil Rays sent grounds crew to repair the fields and add bases, pitching mounds and pitching rubbers.

Specifically, the organization said Tuesday, the crew removed 25 tons of sod, installed 5,300 square feet of sod, added 40 tons of clay to the infields, used 5 tons of clay to rebuild the bullpens and field mounds, used 1 ton of infield top dressing from Tropicana Field on the main field, used an additional 3 tons of top dressing material on the remaining fields and replaced the bases on all the fields with breakaway bases that conform to 2008 Little League rule changes.

J.O. DeLotto and Sons construction company built the concession stand. Metro PCS and Bryant Heating and Cooling also contributed to the project.

"West Tampa Little League's fields hold great historical significance to the surrounding community, making them an ideal choice for our program," said Rays Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman, when the project was announced in May. "Many of Tampa's great amateur and professional baseball stars grew up playing here."

The Devil Rays' field renovation program began last year, and the West Tampa complex is the second Little League complex to get a facelift, the first being Oliver Field at Campbell Park in St. Petersburg.

Devil Rays President Matt Silverman and star outfielder Carl Crawford were among the dignitaries on hand Tuesday for the dedication ceremony.

"This is a proud day for the Rays franchise," Silverman said. "We want to put smiles on faces of children and bring families together. Nothing better says what the Rays organization is about than this field here."

Reporter Keith Morelli can be reached at (813) 259-7760 or at kmorelli@tampatrib.com.

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