ALAN HOSKINS
After years of hoping and months of anticipation, the end is near. On Saturday, Feb. 23, Kansas City Kansas Community College will officially open its new baseball field.
Part of a $4 million project that also features a new track and artificial turf soccer field, the opening will come immediately before KCKCC and Hutchinson square off in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
Fittingly, Hutchinson is the team KCKCC defeated in the 1976 East-West playoffs en route to the Blue Devils’ only appearance in the NJCAA World Series in Grand Junction, Colo.
‘It’s first class all the way and wonderful for the community,” says veteran KCKCC baseball coach Steve Burleson who is in his 34th at the Blue Devil helm. “I think it makes a statement as to the kind of growth the College wants the community to experience.”
The opening kicks off a big day in KCKCC athletics. On Saturday night, the third class will be inducted into the KCKCC Athletic Hall of Fame between games of KCKCC’s Jayhawk Conference basketball doubleheader with Labette.
Tip off for the women’s game is 6 p.m. with the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies at about 7:30 p.m. The induction ceremonies will be followed by the men’s game.
The 2013 Hall of Fame inductees include the 1976 World Series baseball team, basketball All-American Stephanie Brown, Olympic track star Dinsdale Morgan and coach Burleson, only the third coach in Jayhawk Conference to win more than 1,000 baseball games.
