Magee’s $1M Assures

Doubleday Renovation

Work To Start In 2019, Field’s Centennial

By JIM KEVLIN • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com

COOPERTOWN – The Village of Cooperstown today received a $1 million grant from Assemblyman Bill Magee, D-Nelson, part of $5 million it has received so far to renovate Doubleday Field.

The $1 million from the retiring assemblyman can be added to another $1 million from state Sen. Jim Seward’s office last spring, then $3 million from Governor Cuomo’s Empire State Development Corp. as Induction Weekend 2018 began.

Another $800,000 is being sought from other sources, according to Mayor Ellen Tillapaugh Kuch.

The money will be used to remove the third-base concrete bleachers, which have been cordoned off for years, the replace with modern bleachers and a two-story building that will include restrooms, office and a top-floor community space suitable for weddings and other gatherings.

The current stadium was built in the 1930s, but after it was designated “The Birthplace of Baseball” by the Mills Commission in 1908, the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce began a fundraising effort to acquire “Phinney’s Field.”

In 1919, with local contributions and sweat equity by villagers, the first ballfield was built on the site.  That will be commemorate next year, when work on the new project will begin, according to Tillapaugh.

“These renovations will breathe new life into the stadium and strengthen baseball’s roots and legacy in Central New York,” said Magee, who will leave the lower house in Albany after 30 years of service.

Tillapaugh praised Magee as “conscientious public servant, he quietly and efficiently worked on securing funding for the renovations at historic Doubleday Field. We are grateful for his service to our district and his contribution to the Village’s efforts to upgrade our economically important tourist destination.

Since its official opening in 1920, the field has grown into a nearly 9,000-seat stadium that serves as both a tourist attraction for baseball fans across the country and a hometown asset. Once completed, the project will maintain Doubleday Field as a staple of the village’s economy and a must-see baseball landmark.