Drayton McLane baseball complex in Temple, Texas honors former Astros owner
Dedication and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Tomorrow, January 18
HOUSTON, TX – Tomorrow, January 18, at 3:00 p.m., Grand Slam for Youth Baseball and Temple Parks and Leisure Services will host a dedication ceremony of the Drayton McLane Baseball Complex and the rebuilding of Wiseman Memorial Field.
Honorees in attendance include Drayton and Elizabeth McLane and Billy Wiseman Jr.’s family.
This complex was made possible by Grand Slam for Youth Baseball (GSFYB), a community partnership between the Astros In Action Foundation and Minute Maid. GSFYB makes it easier for boys and girls to play, learn about and experience baseball, thus seeking to foster self-confidence, involvement, teamwork and fun among youth in Houston and surrounding areas. One element of the program is refurbishing or rebuilding baseball fields.
“2012 marks the 10th anniversary of Grand Slam for Youth Baseball,” said Marian Harper, Astros Vice President Foundation Development. “To celebrate this milestone the Astros and Minute Maid wanted to honor former Astros owner Drayton McLane for his contributions to Grand Slam for Youth Baseball by rebuilding a youth baseball field in his backyard.”
“Drayton McLane has been a force behind all of our field refurbishment projects,” said Fred Arnold, Community Outreach Director for Minute Maid. “He always says that our Grand Slam for Youth Baseball field refurbishment ribbon cutting days are some of his favorite days of the year.”
Attendees include Astros legend Jimmy Wynn, Hall of Fame broadcaster Milo Hamilton, former pitcher and current broadcaster Jim Deshaies, Astros players Humberto Quintero and Angel Sanchez, Minute Maid Corporation President Mike Saint John and several other representatives from the Houston Astros and the Minute Maid Corporation. Temple Mayor Bill Jones, City Manager David Blackburn, City Councilmembers, Temple Parks and Leisure Services Director Ken Cicora and several other city and park officials will also participate.
“We are excited that Grand Slam for Youth Baseball chose Wiseman Memorial Field because it is one of Temple’s oldest fields and it needed a complete makeover,” said Ken Cicora, Director of Parks and Leisure Services. “We are thankful for Drayton McLane and Grand Slam for Youth Baseball for rebuilding the field, as we were not in a position to refurbish it ourselves and could not have done it without them.”
Wiseman Memorial Field was leveled to fix drainage issues and a sprinkler system was installed. All new fencing and backstop were added as well as new turf, dugouts, benches, foul poles and an electronic scoreboard. Wiseman Field and neighboring Guthrie Field now create the new Drayton McLane Baseball Complex located in Scott and White Park at 1501 South 19th Street in Temple, Texas.