In partnership with sponsors Security Benefit and LA84 Foundation, the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation hosted a ceremony at Jim Thorpe Park that kicked off the construction of LADF’s newest project for Hawthorne residents.
Jim Thorpe Park’s Dodger Dreamfield will be the 64th and 65th fields in its history, revitalizing 50% of the city’s public baseball and softball fields. More than 24,000 youths in Hawthorne will have access to renovated green spaces.
Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw discussed the variety of experiences baseball can provide.
“Baseball can mean a lot of different things for a lot of different people,” Kershaw said. “It’s not just playing the game, it’s about these kids. I remember playing baseball with my friends from 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. It’s a special time in kids’ lives and for them to have something to do during that time is really cool.”
Hawthorne has more than 96,000 residents and 11 school districts with 71,000 students enrolled. However, only 1% of the city’s land is devoted to parks and recreation.
Changes coming to Jim Thorpe Park include upgraded fencing, new customized signage, new foul poles, upgraded dugouts, an enlarged field, two scoreboards, new infield mix and sod, refurbished backstops and an updated bullpen.
Kershaw said this new field could help find tomorrow’s stars.
“Who knows, we might find the next Mookie Betts or Freddie Freeman out here on this field. But if we don’t, it will have an impact so much greater than they do beyond baseball,” Kershaw said.
In addition to improving park access, the Dodger Dreamfields will create a space for young people to play sports, engage in learning opportunities, and access health and educational resources through LADF’s Dodger Dreamteam.
LADF seeks to complete 75 Dodger Dreamfields by 2033 in celebration of the Dodgers’ 75th anniversary of moving to Los Angeles.
Anthony Martinez, the Regional Vice President of Southern California for Security Benefit, said his company has made a promise to the community.
“The Foundation’s mission to serve local communities to provide healthy activities for its youth reflects many of our same values,” Martinez said. “Much like the Dodgers Foundation, our founders made a promise to serve the underserved, and that commitment has become part of our DNA as an organization.”
Since 2003, LADF has invested over $20 million to refurbish 63 Dodgers Dreamfields and provide top-level baseball and softball fields. With the completion of fields 64 and 65, over 1.7 million youth and families will have access to these safe spots and points of pride.
Kershaw said the Dodgers aim to be more than just a baseball organization.
“The more time I’ve spent in L.A., the more I realize the Dodgers [aren’t] just a baseball team to a lot of families,” Kershaw said. “It’s generational. It’s almost like a part of their families, it’s a part of who they are, it’s a part of what they talk about and it’s just a part of the fabric of their lives.”