WOODSLEE  BASEBALL

Backstop Upgrade Project 2017

The game of baseball has been played with passion and enthusiasm by the Woodslee Orioles since 1924.

Since the late 1950's, it has been played exclusively at one location on Oriole Park Drive. 

Baseball players and fans from Essex County and across Ontario have long known the Woodslee diamond, now known as Reg Chevalier Field, as a spectacular place to play ball. Surrounded by trees and adjacent to the winding Belle River, the park has hosted countless practices, games, and tournaments at every age group and at every level, and has served as home field for a growing number of Ontario and National Championship teams. A former player was so enamoured of the place he recently married his wife on the pitcher's mound. 

The Woodslee Baseball Association owns Reg Chevalier Field and is responsible for all costs associated with taking care of the diamond. Thanks to community sponsors, the field hosted its first night game in 1999, and in 2005, a digital scoreboard was installed beyond the centre field fence. 

It is now time to take the next step in our evolution. Our current (and original) chain-link fence is deteriorating, and the rusted links provide an ugly view for parents, family, friends and fans who come to watch the game.

Our vision is to build a three foot high decorative brick backstop that stretches from dugout to dugout, and above that, a protective netting that will keep fans safe while providing an unobstructed view of the field. The cost of this is nearly $50,000, and the Woodslee Baseball Association has already committed half that amount to the project. Thus, we are seeking donations from Woodslee baseball alumni, baseball fans, community members, and friends to see our vision come to life, ready for the season opener in the spring of 2018.

The work will be completed by local companies and, as with all projects at Reg Chevalier field since its inception, by the many players, coaches and fans who proudly visit the field over the course of the baseball season. 

Any donation, of course, will be accepted, and you may donate as an individual, as a family, or as a group. Donations of $250 or greater will receive recognition on a plaque affixed to the wall behind home plate, for generations of fans to see as they watch great baseball played in a magnificent setting. For more information on how to make donations, please see below.

Whether you are a former player, baseball parent, community member, or simply a baseball aficionado, please consider donating. Your contribution will ensure great baseball is played with the same passion and enthusiasm that's been on display in Woodslee since 1924, and it will keep baseball fans and players from across Ontario, and beyond, mentioning Reg Chevalier Field as they speak of the great ballparks they've ever had the pleasure of visiting.

Our sincere thanks, 

Bryan Dunn and the Woodslee Baseball Association 

Tel: 519-816-9589 

Email: woodsleeebaseballassociation@outlook.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=woodslee%20baseball%20build%20a%20backstop

INFORMATION FOR DONATING 

There are several easy methods for making a donation. Thanks for your support. 

E-Transfer: Email transfer donations will be accepted at this email address: woodsleebaseballassociation@outlook.com. 

In Person: Donations will be accepted at any Libro Credit Union branch. Simply ask to donate to the Woodslee Baseball Association and ensure they record your name.  

Mail: Please make cheques out to the Woodslee Baseball Association and address them to: Jim Dunn, 2090 Myers Rd, South Woodslee ON, N0R 1V0