'Sam's Field of Dreams'
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dale Hubler, Times-Union Sports Writer
He poured his heart into it, and after a ceremony Sunday afternoon, the movie-like baseball field he built will bear his name.
Sam Cormany was a "workaholic who had a love for children," and these two characteristics combined resulted in a baseball field that actor Kevin Costner would appreciate.
Costner starred in the 1989 motion picture "Field of Dreams", a story of an Iowa farmer who carved a baseball field into a cornfield.
It was a story of dreams turned into reality, of hard work and perseverance, of a family bonding together to make something happen.
Such is the story of the late Sam Cormany and his family.
Cormany's grandson, Josh, is a talented young baseball player. After watching "Field of Dreams"on television, and because "he had such a love for children" as his widow, Dorothy Cormany, said Thursday afternoon, Sam Cormany built his own field of dreams.
Last fall a backstop was put up. Later, bleachers, a concession stand and dugouts were built. The ground was leveled for the diamond itself. An outfield fence and scoreboard have since been added to the diamond that sits on the east side of CR 700W near Hoffman Lake.
And, of course, there's corn that grows just beyond the outfield.
Corn that his family said they wish he would come walking through someday, much like the late father of Costner's character Ray Kinsella in the widely popular movie.
Cormany died May 5, his 66th birthday, when the ultralight he was piloting crashed in a field.
Though he died that day, his dream lives on and continues to grow just as the corn in the outfield grows with each day.
"My dad loved kids," said Cindy Witt, whose husband, Gary, manages the Indiana Sluggers, the 13-under travel team that calls the unique field home. "He just loved kids. My first thought was that we were gonna have kids all the time, but my dad just loved having kids around. He'd be so happy down here seeing the kids practice and play."
The field will be the site of a four-team tournament today and tomorrow. Scheduled to play in the tournament are the host Indiana Sluggers, the Shenandoah Raiders, the Goshen Storm and the Kendallville Renegades.
At 2 p.m. Sunday, a ceremony will honor the late Sam Cormany and the field will then be named "Sam's Field of Dreams."
"The Indiana Sluggers would like to dedicate this tournament to the memory of Sam Cormany," it reads in the program that will be passed out at the tournament. "Today we will be renaming this field 'Sam's Field of Dreams.' He not only donated the land for a field, but also poured his heart and soul into making this a reality for these young boys. As one player's dad said, 'Sam not only knew how to do everything but he was there to help encourage us in the development of this field.'"
Not only is there a field with dugouts, bleachers and a concession stand, but also a 40x64-foot building that houses three batting cages, which Gary Witt said the Manchester College and Grace College teams have used to train.
Josh Witt, who wears jersey No. 5 for the Indiana Sluggers, attended baseball camps in Fort Wayne. His family's love for the game of baseball, coupled with his own love for children and seeing Costner's hit movie, inspired Cormany to tackle this impressive project.
In their first year of existence, the Indiana Sluggers sport a 31-9 record.
Their season, according to Gary Witt, "started in April and will go until the snow flies."
The team is coached by former Fort Wayne Wizards players Manny Lopez and Frank Pe-a, who grew up in the Dominican Republic before their careers landed them in the Minnesota Twins organization.
Both Lopez and Pe-a are retired from playing baseball - Lopez because of injury and Pe-a so he could spend time with his young children.
The Sluggers play in the Tri-County League, which features teams from Allen, Kosciusko and Whitley counties. Their field is 275 feet down the lines and 310 feet to centerfield.
"We've played some really tough teams," said Gary Witt. "Of our nine losses, most of them have come in tournaments to teams from Chicago, Indiana, Louisville, basically the big cities."
Just as it was in the movie 15 years ago, the voice was right: "If you build it, they will come." [[In-content Ad]]
By Dale Hubler, Times-Union Sports Writer
He poured his heart into it, and after a ceremony Sunday afternoon, the movie-like baseball field he built will bear his name.
Sam Cormany was a "workaholic who had a love for children," and these two characteristics combined resulted in a baseball field that actor Kevin Costner would appreciate.
Costner starred in the 1989 motion picture "Field of Dreams", a story of an Iowa farmer who carved a baseball field into a cornfield.
It was a story of dreams turned into reality, of hard work and perseverance, of a family bonding together to make something happen.
Such is the story of the late Sam Cormany and his family.
Cormany's grandson, Josh, is a talented young baseball player. After watching "Field of Dreams"on television, and because "he had such a love for children" as his widow, Dorothy Cormany, said Thursday afternoon, Sam Cormany built his own field of dreams.
Last fall a backstop was put up. Later, bleachers, a concession stand and dugouts were built. The ground was leveled for the diamond itself. An outfield fence and scoreboard have since been added to the diamond that sits on the east side of CR 700W near Hoffman Lake.
And, of course, there's corn that grows just beyond the outfield.
Corn that his family said they wish he would come walking through someday, much like the late father of Costner's character Ray Kinsella in the widely popular movie.
Cormany died May 5, his 66th birthday, when the ultralight he was piloting crashed in a field.
Though he died that day, his dream lives on and continues to grow just as the corn in the outfield grows with each day.
"My dad loved kids," said Cindy Witt, whose husband, Gary, manages the Indiana Sluggers, the 13-under travel team that calls the unique field home. "He just loved kids. My first thought was that we were gonna have kids all the time, but my dad just loved having kids around. He'd be so happy down here seeing the kids practice and play."
The field will be the site of a four-team tournament today and tomorrow. Scheduled to play in the tournament are the host Indiana Sluggers, the Shenandoah Raiders, the Goshen Storm and the Kendallville Renegades.
At 2 p.m. Sunday, a ceremony will honor the late Sam Cormany and the field will then be named "Sam's Field of Dreams."
"The Indiana Sluggers would like to dedicate this tournament to the memory of Sam Cormany," it reads in the program that will be passed out at the tournament. "Today we will be renaming this field 'Sam's Field of Dreams.' He not only donated the land for a field, but also poured his heart and soul into making this a reality for these young boys. As one player's dad said, 'Sam not only knew how to do everything but he was there to help encourage us in the development of this field.'"
Not only is there a field with dugouts, bleachers and a concession stand, but also a 40x64-foot building that houses three batting cages, which Gary Witt said the Manchester College and Grace College teams have used to train.
Josh Witt, who wears jersey No. 5 for the Indiana Sluggers, attended baseball camps in Fort Wayne. His family's love for the game of baseball, coupled with his own love for children and seeing Costner's hit movie, inspired Cormany to tackle this impressive project.
In their first year of existence, the Indiana Sluggers sport a 31-9 record.
Their season, according to Gary Witt, "started in April and will go until the snow flies."
The team is coached by former Fort Wayne Wizards players Manny Lopez and Frank Pe-a, who grew up in the Dominican Republic before their careers landed them in the Minnesota Twins organization.
Both Lopez and Pe-a are retired from playing baseball - Lopez because of injury and Pe-a so he could spend time with his young children.
The Sluggers play in the Tri-County League, which features teams from Allen, Kosciusko and Whitley counties. Their field is 275 feet down the lines and 310 feet to centerfield.
"We've played some really tough teams," said Gary Witt. "Of our nine losses, most of them have come in tournaments to teams from Chicago, Indiana, Louisville, basically the big cities."
Just as it was in the movie 15 years ago, the voice was right: "If you build it, they will come." [[In-content Ad]]