Let us play baseball at Mickey Gordon Park

Dear Editor:

American Legion Post # 295, here in Middleburg is getting a baseball team of 17- and 18-year-olds, to play in The American Legion League, which will include games against Leesburg, Winchester, Arlington, Warrenton, and several other teams in northern Virginia. Currently we are looking for coaches and players to join with us in this exciting new venture.

We were hopeful to start playing this summer, which is a great time for interested high school players, that are wanting to tune up their skills, for when they go to play for college teams. It is also open to anyone who just likes to play ball, and it will be very competitive and fun.

Initially are aim was to begin play at Mickey Gordon Park just east of Middleburg as our hone field. There is an excellent baseball field, with the exact dimensions of a Major League Baseball field. 

This past fall, the community around Middleburg voiced displeasure with the County’s plans of establishing 3 large cricket fields, subsequently convincing the Board of Supervisors to squash those plans.

Not only was the field historically a baseball field, going back to 1920 for the Negro League place to play, but had been an area identified by the Loudoun County African American Heritage Association as a place that meant a great deal for their community.

However, due to delays in deciding what will encompass the entire park, the County has decided to continue allowing cricket for this year. We are hopeful that this delay to bring baseball back to the park, will be reconsidered, so we can start playing baseball there in the summer.

The community is extremely interested in getting this resolved. If it can’t be done for this summer, we are still getting a team together, and will find other areas to play. The general consensus is, that the Middleburg community and The American Legion Post, are committed to making this work, and are strongly in support of playing baseball at Mickey Gordon Park as soon as possible.

If you are interested in participating in our baseball team, please call me, Mike Merritt, at 703-728-6925.

Mike Merritt

Middleburg