Whitey Ford Field

The Daily Plant : Tuesday, August 22, 2000

FIELD DEDICATED IN HONOR OF YANKEE GREAT WHITEY FORD

Photograph by Jamye (Focus) Ford

Whitey Ford, the most accomplished pitcher in Yankee history, is already a legend in Yankee Stadium and to baseball fans everywhere. But now that Hellgate Field, a piece of his hometown turf in Queens, has been renamed in his honor, even little leaguers getting their first taste of baseball will become familiar with his name. Comissioner Henry J. (StarQuest) Stern presented Ford with the "Whitey Ford Field" sign at a ceremony on Sunday, August 20, before the Yankees' home game against the Anahiem Angels. Ford, who made his debut in pinstripes on July 1, 1950, recorded a franchise-record 236 victories and established club marks for innings pitched (3,170 1/3), strikeouts (1,956) and shutouts (45). Owner of the best winning percentage of any 20th century pitcher with 200 or more victories, Ford also holds World Series marks for games pitched (22), innings pitched (146), victories (10), strikeouts (94) and consecutive scoreless innings (33 2/3). During his 50-year association with the Yankees, Ford has served as a player, coach, scout and broadcaster. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1974. Hellgate Field, located at 1st Street and 24th Avenue in Queens, was acquired by Parks in October 1943. It is a single ballfield with a beautiful view of the East River. Each season, hundreds use this ballfield, including little leagues and other organizations.

RESTORED HERALD AND GREELEY SQUARES ARE OASES IN MIDTOWN

StarQuest recently received an award certificate from the Lucy G. Moses Preservation Awards Committee for his role in the restoration of Herald and Greeley Squares. These wedge-shaped plots aside the busy pedestrian corridor of 34th Street at Broadway were transformed from dingy traffic islands into small green oases. The restoration, made possible by the 34th Street Partnerhsip in conjunction with Parks and Recreation, included paving, landscaping, installing new fences, drinking fountains, and waste receptacles, and restoring the statue of Horace Greeley, the monument to James Gordon Bennett, and its clock with bronze bell ringers striking the hours.

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO IN THE PLANT
(Tuesday, August 25, 1987)

A CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS COMES TO ST. MARY'S PARK HOUSE IN SOUTH BRONX

The park house at St. Mary's West Playground in the Bronx has recently been decorated with jugglers, acrobats, monkeys, elephants, and a whole slew of circus characters, thanks to the combined efforts of over 500 adults, schoolchildren and teenagers participating in the agency's "Murals in the Park" program. The enthusiastic painters all gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony yesterday at the facility located at St. Ann's Avenue and 147th Street in the South Bronx. The mural, called "Juggling the Skills," covers three entire walls of the park house and resembles a colorful circus. It portrays education, goals, values and all-around fun for youngsters. Local rap artist "Anthony" created the mural's slogan: "Stay in school. Don't be a fool. Remember, your mind is a powerful tool." Professional artists Deborah Ossoff and Whitfield Lovell supervised the painting of the mural.

QUOTATION FOR THE DAY

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science."

Albert Einstein (1879-1955)