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.”