User:SABTWUI/RoemerPark

Introduction

 * Since 1953, Roemer Park has been the flagship baseball field for the Wilmette Baseball league. Although inactive in the fall and winter months it teems with young baseball players for the rest of the year. The field is sequestered between residential lots off of Old Glenview road in Wilmette. Its presence is noted only by a small sign on the side of the street, and a dirt path that leads down to a metal gate. Beyond this gate is a rare time-capsule of a ballpark, whose original construction concepts have been maintained and cared for. It has a grass infield with an elevated mound and has a short outfield fence. Just beyond this fence lies a manual scoreboard that displays the score with metal scorecards. To accommodate the players, sunken dugouts as well as warm-up areas for each team's pitchers were created down the sidelines.

Early History
All early accounts explained below are summaries of the official history

Planning

 * The planning for a proper baseball field in Wilmette was started in 1952 by John Bordes. Previously games were played at a different location, which is currently Gillson Park, but the venue wasn't fulfilling the needs of a growing player base. In the spring of 1953 after the creation of the league with its the four original teams, a plan to create a field in west Wilmette was drafted . The landscape for the lot was drastically different; on what is now residential housing sat hundreds of acres of farmland. This property happened to be part of a 100 acre farm belonging to the Roemer Family. To make this field, Lawrence and Simon Roemer sold two different parcels of land to the Wilmette Baseball Association for the creation of the park. Their generous offer of land is the reason that the ball park bears their namesake.

Construction

 * The project started off with no funding, but was immediately supplemented by the help that the surrounding community provided. The local population donated free labor and material, and the Village organized fundraisers that raised around eight thousand dollars. The construction was described as "a true, early 1950's community effor, a point of pride for the village." The construction was finished rapidly, and the opening ceremony for the park was on the 14th of June 1953

Participation at Roemer Park

 * Three Leagues in the Wilmette Youth Baseball programs will get the opportunity to play at Roemer Park
 * Pinto League is for the youngest players. This is for players in second through third grade. Every season the opening ceremony and the first game of the season is played at Roemer park. The regular season games are all played at the nearby Thornwood park, with the exception of the World Series at the end of the year.
 * Mustang League is for players in the fourth grade. Roemer Park will host between three and four games for each team as well as the World Series and the All-Star game.
 * Bronco League is the last age group that gets to play in Roemer Field. This group includes fifth and sixth grade players. The majority of games played will be hosted at Roemer Park, this includes their World Series and All-Star game.
 * The only way for a non-resident child to play at Roemer Park is to play on a Youth Traveling team of a similar age that would play a Wilmette team at home.

Video Tour
| Roemer Park, one of Wilmette's hidden gems Courtesy of "YoNorthShore"