Dalton Rushing accompanied Kershaw’s Challenge and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation at a groundbreaking ceremony for Dodgers Dreamfield No. 68 at Nickerson Gardens.
It’s the third such project that will be built at a public housing site, and is being completed in partnership with the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA).
“Dodgers Dreamfield 68 is more than a field – it’s a promise to the children and families of Watts,” LADF chief executive officer Nichol Whiteman said in a statement.
“It represents our belief that every child, no matter where they live, deserves a safe, beautiful space to play, grow, and dream big. We’re proud to stand alongside HACLA and Kershaw’s Challenge to build not only a field, but a foundation for lasting impact in this community.”
Dodgers Spanish language broadcaster José Mota served as emcee of the event, which was attended by Ellen Kershaw and LADF chief operating officer Chaitali Gala Mehta in addition to Rushing and others.
“It’s pretty cool. To be able to give the kids a safe spot to play the game of baseball is something that all of us growing up, we’ve all played in different areas,” Rushing said. “We’ve all had different stories coming up. Just to give these kids a safe spot to play the game of baseball and love the game.”
The $1.1 million investment in Dodgers Dreamfield 68 supports revitalizing the historic 1954 housing development in Watts, which was designed by Paul R. Williams. It builds on community-driven initiatives, led by several Los Angeles sports teams, to improve the quality of life for residents.
Dodgers Dreamfield 68 will help reenergize the community’s baseball and softball programming for youth ages 5-12. Located in one of Los Angeles’ most historically under-resourced neighborhoods, the field eliminates common barriers to access by offering a free, high-quality space for youth to gather and play.
Upgrades include irrigation, playing surfaces, fencing, and a solar scoreboard reminiscent of what’s seen at Dodger Stadium. The Nickerson Gardens Dodgers Dreamfield adds onto the LADF’s goal of completing 75 of them by 2033 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the team’s move from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958.
Dodgers Dreamfields
In alignment with one of its priorities of building infrastructure for lasting impact for communities throughout Los Angeles, LADF builds and refurbishes baseball and softball fields in underserved communities through the Dodgers Dreamfields program.
Since 2003, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation has invested more than $21 million to refurbish 67 Dodgers Dreamfields to date. Over 1.8 million youth and families have access to these safe havens and points of pride.
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