WILDWOOD CREST — “I don’t like having games here,” a young athlete said, as she took a quick break from warming up her pitching arm on Feb. 3 at borough-owned “Sticker Stadium.”
She didn’t want to give her name to this reporter because instead of practicing pitching, she was supposed to be working on a school project. But, with Little League sign-ups on Feb. 10, clearly softball had a much more enticing pull.
“We’ll only have a game at Higbee if the boys don’t have it,” she said gesturing over her shoulder. “We don’t have dugouts here or anything, so we’ll get soaked if it rains.”
“It looks like softball isn’t as good as the boys,” she added, before packing her gear and heading home.
Currently the minor league teams and girls softball use “Sticker Stadium,” which is at Aster and Ocean avenues.
Major Little League teams play at Higbee Stadium, across the street. That field has an electronic scoreboard, lights, bleachers, dugouts, snack bar, and bathrooms.
By contrast, the girls and minor leaguers have been sitting on wooden benches, unprotected from the elements, and spectators have to stand, usually on the sidewalk, in order to get a good look at the team on the field.
After cutting through, what seemed like, miles of red tape, plans to upgrade the stadium are moving forward.
Bob Neri, minor league coordinator, appeared before the borough’s planning board on Feb. 1, and pitched the idea of building dugouts, new fencing, a modern backstop, and bleachers at the beachfront stadium.
Besides simply looking better, Neri told the board that the renovations are needed to make the field safer for players and spectators.
“It really is turning into a safety issue,” he said. “Everyone just ends up piling up onto the sidewalk during games. There is nowhere to sit.”
“The backstop now is made out of wooden pilings and the fence is falling down,” he added.
“I really don’t see any problem with it,” said Engineer Ralph Petrella. “Especially, if they use portable aluminum bleachers.”
“We’re all concerned with the safety of the children in the community,” said Board Chairman Harry Mitchell.
He suggested that Neri bring a finalized plan, complete with drawings, back to borough commissioners before any of the work begins.
Getting permission to do the work was only one obstacle facing the Greater Wildwoods Little League. Originally, the league wanted to renovate both fields, at a cost of about $40,000.
The expenses for “Sticker Stadium’s” renovations were $17,000 and the league had only about $10,000 in its reserve.
Thanks to free labor from local masonry contractors such as Cousins, Steve McShaffrey, and Troiano and Sons, the price tag on improving the beachfront stadium has shrunk to about $7,300, a much more attainable goal.
Neri thanked the Morey Organization, Sand Jamm Surf Shop, Pack 58, and Dairy Queen of Magnolia Street for contributing to the cause.
“We’re pretty close,” Neri said, of the goal to bring the stadium’s facilities up to par.
However, work on Higbee’s snack bar and electrical system will most likely exceed the league’s available funding and will have to wait.
Contact Suit at: (609) 886-8600 ext. 25 or lsuit@cmcherald.com
