Corbett Field is one of the most beautiful ballparks in the upper Midwest. One of the most relaxing things to do in the summer, especially for the baseball lover, is to watch American Legion baseball under the warm summer sun.
Unfortunately, summer seems to be on hold and we haven't seen a whole lot of sun. As we struggle through inches and inches of rain this June, the unsung heroes of Corbett Field continue to be Mike Littler and his grounds crew.
Mike has spent many years and thousands of hours grooming the Corbett Field playing surface. This year has been no exception. Mike and his boys have spent countless hours pouring product on the field to make it ready for young men to play the game they love. We stand and cheer for line drives and double plays, but many times don't give enough credit to the boys behind the scenes. A great big thank you to Mike and the hard work his crew does to make Corbett Field a great facility.
It would be a great injustice to write about Mike and his crew and not mention the late Loyal Dart. Loyal was a great man and loved the game of baseball, loved Corbett Field, and loved to help Mike "groom" home plate before and in between games. As we once again fight Mother Nature in our annual Loyal Dart Invitational Tournament, we will play this great game of baseball with a big smile knowing we are playing in a great facility in memory of a great man and a great supporter of Magic City Youth Baseball.
(Andy Lach is the assistant coach for the Minot Vistas. He writes columns about his experiences during the baseball season. Lach can be reached via email at cbieri@minotdai
lynews.com)