MORGANTOWN — Local businessman Cliff Sutherland did a little riffing on “Field of Dreams” the other day.
That’s everyone’s favorite baseball movie – even for the people who don’t necessarily like the sport that isn’t beholden to a game clock.
“Field of Dreams” is the 1989 mystical flick about an Iowa farmer who builds a ball diamond down from the cornstalks on his land.
Something wondrous and amazing happens when he’s done.
More than 30 years after its release, the movie endures.
This past week, in fact, the real-life New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox were scheduled to play at the very diamond crafted for the movie, done on location in the Hawkeye state.
In Morgantown, Sutherland has spent the past 20 years keeping a keen eye on the doings of another complex that has helped hatch its own dreams here.
He’s talking about the Mylan Park complex near Morgantown, the city and region’s destination of choice for events and happenings that cater to people of all walks (and hits and errors).
Mylan Park’s field of dreams is in the form of newly-named Dale Miller Park, the home of American Legion Post 2 and a regional tournament in that organization’s Great Lakes league, which commenced last week.
There’s that, and the community center and other athletic venues.
“I’m gonna sound corny,” he said. “Mylan Park adds to our quality of life. It’s one of the reasons why people and companies move here. It really is a destination.”
Especially pertaining to baseball, these days.
Two weeks ago, the Post 2 field was renamed in honor of Miller, the West Virginia Radio Corp. president and CEO who recently announced his retirement.
Miller is legend for his championing of legion ball, as a coach and booster.
Several of the players on his teams from past years have gone to college to play the sport.
One even went to the Show.
Morgantown’s Jedd Gyorko was a Post 2 standout who went from being a WVU Mountaineers baseball star to the Major League’s San Diego Padres.
After other stops with the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers, he’s now back in his hometown as manager of the West Virginia Black Bears, of the MLB Draft League.
In the meantime, fundraising continues for improvements to Dale Miller Field and the other diamonds in the complex.
The event in the namesake’s honor two weeks ago brought in $170,000, said Terri Howes, Mylan Park’s executive director.
To date, some $650,000 has been raised for Dale Miller Field alone, with plans to construct a club house and install a video scoreboard.
All tax-deductible donations go through the 501(c)(3) Mylan Park Foundation.
Email Howes at thowes@mylanpark.org for more information on how you can contribute.
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