County seeks proposals for youth sports facilities
February 7, 2013
NEW — 8 a.m. Feb. 7, 2013
Local youth sports organizations can apply for King County grants to build or upgrade recreation facilities.
The county Youth Sports Facilities Grants Program provides matching grant funds from $5,000 to $75,000. Past grant recipients include playgrounds and athletic fields, including the Issaquah Little League’s Dodd Fields near Issaquah Valley Elementary School.
Other local grant recipients in the Issaquah area include city-run Central Park in the Issaquah Highlands and county-run Duthie Hill Park in Sammamish.
Overall, officials awarded $12 million through the program in the past 20 years.
Dodd Field gets new turf, opens to Little League
June 26, 2012
Project Manager Greg Crockett and son Torin Crockett cut the ribbon June 9 at the opening of Dodd Field. By Juan Gonzalez
On June 9, Issaquah Little League celebrated the opening of two new artificial turf fields at Dodd Field behind Issaquah Valley Elementary School. The fields are named after Terry Dodd, former league president and 30-year volunteer.
The dedication included baseball-themed music provided by the Issaquah High School marching band, a ribbon cutting ceremony, three championship baseball games, and a variety of attractions including a dunk tank and speed pitching booth.
Issaquah Little League began the $320,000 project to add turf to Dodd Field in October 2010.
King County steps to the plate on baseball project
November 22, 2011
Issaquah Little League players could step onto synthetic turf infields next spring after King County committed $75,000 to a renovation project at Dodd Fields in downtown Issaquah.
In September 2010, the Issaquah Little League embarked on a $310,000 project to add the synthetic turf to the infields at a pair of baseball diamonds at Dodd Fields. Construction is expected to start in January and conclude in March, in time for opening day.
Little Leaguer selected for USA Baseball tryouts
November 22, 2011
Hiro Fujiwara is only one of three Washingtonians chosen for the event
Hiro Fujiwara (right), makes a play in a game this summer on the Issaquah Little League All-Stars. Contributed
If a baseball game is on, Hiro Fujiwara is watching it.
While he grew up watching the Seattle Mariners, he said his favorite team right now is the Boston Red Sox.
Someday, he hopes to be the one people watch — a goal not so far-fetched if he can continue to work hard, said Tom Chan, Issaquah Little League president.
“Hiro has a lot of range and a strong arm,” Chan said. “He’s one of the top pitchers for sure in Little League at the All-Star level.”
In September, the 13-year-old Pacific Cascade Middle School student joined 756 other players from across the country to participate in the 2011 USA Baseball National Team Identification Series. The series consists of players from three age groups that ultimately serve as an opportunity to be on one of USA Baseball’s national teams.
USA Baseball is the national governing body of amateur baseball in the United States and is a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee.
The organization selects and trains the World Baseball Classic Team and World Cup Team, national teams and the USA Baseball Women’s National Team, all of which participate in various international competitions each year.
After scouts came to watch Fujiwara in action locally, he was only one of three players from Washington to be chosen for the event.
As part of the Northwest region team, Fujiwara competed against 12 other regions from across the country in the NTIS at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.
Little League opening day / March 26, 2011
March 30, 2011
Lakeside Recovery wins pair of tuneup matches
July 6, 2010
Baseball Roundup
Skyline High School’s Mike Smith was a key player for Lakeside Recovery in its two victories. He went 8-for-14 in the tournament, raising his season batting average to 3.67.
Smith had two hits and drove in four runs July 1, when Lakeside Recovery topped Mudville, 9-5. Reid Dilley and Kyle Goemmer, both from Newport, each had two hits for Lakeside Recovery. Issaquah High School graduate Shane Yarnell was the winning pitcher. Skyline grad Adrian Sampson worked the final two innings to earn the save.
Smith had three hits and drove in three runs July 3, when Lakeside Recovery topped Capital City 10-8. Issaquah graduate Spencer Rogers had three hits and knocked in two runs. Dan Spray, of Newport, had two hits and drove in a run for Lakeside Recovery. Brandon Mahovlich, of Issaquah, was the winning pitcher.
In its June 30 opener, Lakeside Recovery lost to the Vancouver Cardinals 11-4. Dan Altchech had two hits and drove in two runs. Spencer Rogers had two hits, and Smith smashed a home run.
In other games, Lakeside Recovery lost to Baden Baseball 11-0 and to the Spokane Dodgers 9-3. Smith had two hits in the game against Baden, and Dilley ripped a three-run home run in the loss to the Dodgers.
Lakeside Recovery is the host team for the Brandy Pugh Tournament, which showcases some of the state’s top Legion and select teams. Lakeside Recovery begins play at 8 p.m. July 7 against rival Honda of Bellevue at Bannerwood Park in Bellevue. Read more
Baseball town
June 29, 2010
America’s favorite pastime has long been among Issaquah’s most popular activities
Long before motorists began speeding westward on Interstate 90 to Safeco Field for Seattle Mariners’ games, even before the designated hitter became a position, baseball was thriving in Issaquah.
America’s pastime has been one of the favorite pastimes of Issaquah residents since the early days of the community.
Old timers, recalling memories of their early years in the Issaquah Historical Society, often mention the fascination local residents had about baseball.
In the 1920s and 1930s, if children didn’t have a field to play ball on, it was no problem. They just picked sides and played in the streets. Of course, this was long before Humvees came roaring down Front Street.
Often, residents gathered to watch Issaquah town teams. In the early years of the 20th century, many small towns had amateur teams that played against other small town amateur teams.
