Local, county and state officials and dignitaries gathered with Buddy Baseball players and their parents in Bayonne to celebrate the construction of a new and improved “Field of Dreams” located at 11th Street and Avenue E.
The group assembled near home plate with shovels and got their hands dirty, kicking off a $2.4 million project that will renovate the baseball field for children with special needs. The renovations include new dugouts, bleachers, fencing, play area and improved handicap access. Bayonne received funding for the construction from county, state, and federal governments as well as local developers.
Bayonne Buddy Baseball is a program for children and young adults with developmental and physical challenges. Launched in 2015, its mission is to give those with special needs the opportunity to play baseball in an environment catered to their abilities. “Buddies” assist players on the field. The overall mission is to make the benefits of teamwork, sportsmanship and fair play available to all.
Mayor Jimmy Davis proclaimed, “This is Bayonne. This is who we are.” Referring to the Buddy Baseball players in attendance, he added, “Everything we do is for them”. Speaking at the ceremony, Recreation Superintendent Pete Amadeo thanked the community for their support of the program since the beginning, noting that “Buddy Baseball brings the whole town together”.
Congressman Rob Menendez praised Mayor Davis, the Bayonne City Council, and Superintendent Amadeo for their efforts in renovating the field, and credited his predecessor, Albio Sires, for his work in getting crucial federal funding. He said, “Our job is to bring resources back to our communities”.
Capping off the ceremony, Buddy Baseball player Matty Kline summed it up for everyone by yelling the two words that every baseball fan loves to hear, “Play ball!”
