The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) unveiled their 50th Dreamfield at Algin Sutton Recreation Center, putting the finishing touches on a 15-year commitment that required an investment of more than $10 million to build or refurbish the fields.
The location of the 50th Dodgers Dreamfield strategically came at the same location the first field was built in 2003. The Algin Sutton complex is also where the Dodgers RBI program launched.
Completion of the latest field was partially funded by donations from the City of Los Angeles, Yasiel Puig’s Wild Horse Foundation, the Tyler Development Corporation, Clayton and Ellen Kershaw, the LA84 Foundation, the Annenberg Foundation, and the Leon Lowenstein Foundation.
“Ellen and I are so honored to be a part of LADF’s 50th Dodgers Dreamfield,” Kershaw said.
“We have been partnering with them since they built the Universally Accessible Field in Baldwin Hills and are proud to partner with the foundation as they continue to impact thousands of kids throughout LA.”
It was important to @YasielPuig that he and the @WildHorseFDN contribute to the @DodgersFdn building their 50th #Dodgers Dreamfield. #50FieldsIn15Years | #DodgedsDreamfields pic.twitter.com/yOW4ndSRd5
— Matthew Moreno (@MMoreno1015) September 22, 2018
“This event with the Dodgers Foundation, Clayton Kershaw and City of Los Angeles, we wanted to do this because the kids are the future,” Puig said. “I love to be close to the kids. I know if we do something great like this, the kids are going to practice and keep going to school.”
In addition to Kershaw, Puig and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, the unveiling ceremony was attended by Ron Cey, Steve Garvey, Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten, Steve Yeager, members from contributing parties, and Alanna Rizzo, who co-hosted.
While the LADF graciously accepted the donations and was sure to recognize those contributions during the public ceremony, executive director Nichol Whiteman is lauded as the driving force to completing the foundation’s promise.
“This is a promise realized,” she humbly told DodgerBlue.com “This is a real exciting moment for the Foundation. I think we all started off the morning emotional that we had gotten to this day.
“Now we’re in celebratory mode because all of our partners are here, our players are here, Dodgers executives are here, youth who we serve and will play on this field are here. It feels like a family reunion. This being the home of the first Dodger Dreamfield, it’s an amazing day.”
Kershaw, Puig, Whiteman and select children shared the honor of officially lighting the scoreboard. One side showed ‘5’ while the other had ‘0’ to commemorate the location being the 50th built.
