|
By Bob Weaver
Home baseball games will be delayed at Calhoun High School for safety
reasons,
according to Roger Propst, sports and facilities administrator. He
told members of the
Calhoun County Athletic Complex Committee last night there are
problems with
sunlight in players eyes. The new field is positioned wrongly and
cannot be turned
around.
CCACC President Kelley Houchin said "The CCACC fundraising group did
not have
anything to do with the field being built wrongly." She said the group
did supply labor,
donated materials and money to build the backstop and fencing. "CCACC
members
discussed the problem in the beginning," she said. School officials
responded by
saying they were aware of the situation, but the site preparation was
already
completed. About $500,000 was spent on site development.
"Everyone knew all along the field was oriented wrong," said Propst.
"It doesn't look
like the problem is insurmountable." Baseball coach Roscoe Gainer said
the sunlight
is in the eyes of the batters and catchers, and could create a
dangerous situation.
Administrator Donnie Pitts said the current field was the only
configuration that was
affordable. He said it would have taken an additional $200,000 to turn
the field away
from the sunlight problem.
Propst said "It was not something on which I made a decision." He said
the architects
recommendation was accepted. School board member Ralph Cunningham said
"It
was the best we could do with the money we had."
Propst said a sun screen system would not work, but the school was
looking into
ways they could start games about 4 p.m. to beat the sunlight problem.
"The
downside would be the game would cut into instructional time," said
Propst.
Other issues at the CCACC meeting was a concern about reduced
dimensions for the
concession stand. Pitts said the concrete floors are about ready to be
poured and the
building is on schedule.
The facilities building walls blew down last December during a wind
storm, after
which some CCACC members became upset when they were advised the
project was
not insured. They said Propst told the group the project was covered
by school board
insurance. The contractor for the project did replace the walls at no
additional cost.
Houchin said she is hopeful a large crowd will turn out for the Johnny
Staats - Jake
Krack Concert this Saturday evening. She told the group that local
volunteers had
donated 1542 hours on the athletic fields and 364 hours on fund
raising activities. | 
