SOUTH Perth Baseball Club will continue to produce outstanding junior talent and US Major Leaguers with the recent upgrade of their 20-year-old hitting cages.
For two decades, the club had used the uncovered hitting cages without lights at the Bill Grayden Reserve in Como, which membership director Stuart Scott said had become unsafe.
Through local and State Government grants, and support from its 150 members, the club raised $170,000 to upgrade the cages, which was completed last month.
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READ NOWMr Scott, who has been associated with the club for about 30 years, said the vision and execution of the project was set by last year’s committee and in particular, club member Gavin Bowey who project managed, coordinated volunteers and constructed much of the facility himself.
The upgrade included making the cages enclosed and water proof, installing LED lighting and increased safety standards.
Mr Scott said the facilities were now some of the best in Australia at a local baseball level.
“The South Perth Baseball Club has been arguably the most successful local baseball club this century,” he said.
“We have always produced outstanding junior talent and this investment allows us to increase the level of coaching and development that we extend across the club and the baseball community because the roof and lighting allow it to be used year-round.”
Recently celebrating its 70th anniversary, and with two members currently playing in the US Major Leagues, the club plans to make the new facilities available to state teams to support the broader baseball community.