Jane Lethlean
Special to The Journal-Standard
FREEPORT Spring-like temperatures made a workday pleasurable as volunteers descended on Little Cubs Field on Saturday morning for a spring cleanup day, ridding the historic park of remnants of leftover winter to create a new year of baseball at the replica of Wrigley Field.
A new American flag was hung and division pennants were placed. While some washed windows, others raked the ball diamond, stained dugout benches and replaced rotting boards on the dugouts. The back wall mats were removed to allow the ivy to grow.
“Little Cubs Field has meant so much to so many for more than 10 years. Spring means baseball, Denny Garkey said as he stood back and looked over the park, taking a break from raking the field. When I was young, I played a lot of baseball. I spent all my time outdoors and after a long winter, this park comes alive for another season of baseball and it just makes me feel like a kid again.”
Jane Lethlean
Special to the Journal-Standard
FREEPORT Nearly 140 people were treated Sunday to a history lesson and Tim Connors portrayal of Benjamin Franklin, thanks in part to a bad case of pandemic hair.
It was 1706 when historical figure and one of the founders of the United States, Benjamin Franklin, was born. But Connors brought Franklin to life via an online re-enactment over the weekend for a unique history lesson via Zoom.
Connors first portrayed Franklin 20 years ago in the musical “1776” at Highland Community College. Halloween 2020 prompted the man to bring the historical figure back into the spotlight.
“I have portrayed other historical figures in the past, and Franklin happened by chance when I looked at my COVID hair growth, looked at myself in the mirror, and decided I had taken on a new look,” Connors said. “After I posted that Halloween costume photo on social media, I began to get calls to bring him to life. I look forward to helping p