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Diamonds in the Rough - part three |
 Diamonds in the Rough - Part 1
Diamonds in the Rough - Part 2
So where was I...Oh yeah Gordie Closson was just picking his jaw off the floor when he was asking permission to overhaul the ball field at Waldon Park back in 1969.
He was face to face with a sworn enemy and he needed his help. Luckily there was no punch up or even a foul word. The two men became instant friends and worked together to get the field rid of twelve foot high broom and get it in game shape for Gordie and the gang to play some ball.
So away they went and the field was quickly ready to go, although there was no backstop or bathroom or fence or dugouts like the commercial league had in Duncan. However there was a growing group of blue collar players that gathered as often as possible and eventually established the unofficial, unsanctioned and virtually un-noticed "Bush League."
Well, un-noticed at first. Pretty soon it was hard not to notice the rag tag bush leaguers. Names like Ellison, McKay, O'Keefe to name a few were not only coming out and playing ball, but were contributing to the physical development of the field. They were volunteering hours and hours of labour. The Bush League with its many players and volunteers brought life into Mary Waldon's park.
There were work bees, pig roasts, camp fires, fundraisers and even a wedding. Don Ellison and his bride rode in on a horse and buggy and tied the knot right there at the baseball diamond. The Glenora community was alive and embracing the busy park. And the ball was getting good too. Eventually the Bush League propped up a rep team called the Spartans and sent them downtown to take on the city boys every now and again. These games were close and the Spartans started enjoying some success in the early eighties.
Meanwhile Gordie and an absolute entourage of professional volunteers were constantly improving the park. To tackle a twelve foot height difference between right field and home plate - Belton Brothers stepped up. They needed water - Drillwell made it happen. What about pavement - Surespan answered the call. A clubhouse - one arrived courtesey of the mill. It goes on and on. They built a new field in the early nineties with a huge bee featuring Dommie Mansueti doing the cooking. It seemed that every time they needed something an individual or a business would step up and get it done. The list of people is too long to mention, but those people know who they are and beam with pride when they get a chance to visit the park. The estimated value of man hours, materials and equipment is a whopping $340,000.00 to date.
In 1982 they started the "Fall Classic" fastball tournament and it raised some money to cover the expenses of the field. That ran until 1989 when Gordie shifted the fundraising to go toward people in need. The Fall Classic Charity Fastball Tournament has run now for twenty years! The actual amount of money handed over as the highlight of what is always an emotional and inspiring finale of the Fall Classic is between $150,000.00 and $200,000.00.
And so lives on this legacy. It is a great park with great history. The beer garden antics, the many many games, the emotional experiences and the generations of generosity live on at Waldon Park. It is a testimonial that communities need a recreational place for people to gather and be alive.
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