Members of the Bluffton campus community have worked to create an appropriate memorial that will remember Zachary Arend, David Betts, Scott Harmon, Cody Holp and Tyler Williams, and honor the experience of the 2007 Bluffton baseball team.
The campus memorial includes three integrated components. First, the men’s baseball diamond has been formally named Bluffton University Memorial Field.
The second component is the “Circle of Remembrance,” a circular-form walkway on a low rise adjacent to shallow right field, with a limestone-capped brick semi-circular wall, benches and landscaping. The Circle of Remembrance features a centerpiece sculpture, “Touching Home,” by Gregg Luginbuhl, Bluffton faculty-artist, which connects symbolically and visually with home plate on the adjacent Memorial Field. The temporary Forton casting of Touching Home has been removed to prepare for installation of the permanent bronze sculpture in summer 2008.
The final component of the memorial project features a number of enhancements to the playing field. The improvements include a new infield, laser-leveled and sodded, and with three truckloads of Alabama red clay added to the infield dirt. New Major League-style sunken dugouts, large enough to accommodate the team and equipment, have been built. Between them is a new 30 inch brick backstop wall topped with 25 foot high mesh netting. The layout of the backstop and new dugouts is patterned after Chicago’s Wrigley Field. In addition, bull pens were moved closer to the new dugouts and new black vinyl fencing has been installed. Two permanent outdoor batting cages have been added adjacent to the left field area.
Spring 2008
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| October 22, 2007
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October 11, 2007
Progress has been made on building the memorial.  |
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October 2, 2007
Brick has begun to be laid on the visiting team dugout.
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September 25, 2007
Work continues on the home team dugout.
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September 21, 2007
Construction has begun on the home team dugout. The front wall and half of the end walls of the dugouts will be poured concrete with block on the back side and two ends. Footers for the visitors dugout will be poured soon.
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September 12, 2007
Pouring of the pads for the batting cages has begun. Excavation of the 3rd base dugout will also begin.  |
September 10, 2007
Construction began the week of Sept. 6 for the dugouts and related items. The initial work involved putting in drainage.
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August 30, 2007
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August 29, 2007
Infield sod is laid.
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Aug. 27, 2007
Preparations are made for infield sod  |
July 19, 2007
Demolition is complete.
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July 12, 2007
Heavy equipment arrived to remove the dugouts and sideline fencing  |
