Former MLB Pitcher Thrills Fans at Huntley's Tomaso Park

Huntley resident Glenn Dawson remembers being a child and watching Tommy John play for the New York Yankees—so watching his own 9-year-old son catch a pitch from John was a thrill.

Hunter Dawson and Jadon Conroy, 10, caught pitches from the former Yankees and Chicago White Sox pitcher Saturday during the dedication of two ball fields at Tomas Sports Park.

“He had an experiemental arm surgery and now when pitchers hurt themselves, they have the Tommy John surgery,” Jadon said. He and Hunter play for the Huntley Red Raiders traveling baseball team.

Hunter knew of John because “he played for the Yankees.”

The entire Dawson family are longtime New York Yankee fans and have had tickets to games since the 1930s, Glen said.

“It’s pretty cool,” Hunter said of his autographed bat and ball he got after catching the pitches.

John came to Huntley to dedicate Culver’s Field and Chiro Field. Culver’s of Huntley and Chiro One Wellness Center of Huntley donated the electronic scoreboards for each field.

A left-handed pitcher who had 288 wins, he has the seventh highest on record for left handed pitchers, Debbie Kraus said in introducing the former Chicago White Sox player.

John also played for the Los Angels Dodgers but ended his career in 1989 while playing for the Yankees. To younger generations of baseball fans, he’s known for having an experimental, at the time, elbow surgery.

“If I had a field like this when I was growing up, I would be a better player,” John said, addressing the crowd who gathered at the ball fields. “I think the people in Huntley, Illinois, should pat themselves on the back because these are outstanding facilities.”

He paused to draw attention to the children arriving with their families to play softball and baseball. “That’s what the fields are about, the kids,” he said.

“If you build it, they will come,” John said, borrowing a line from the 1980s film “Field of Dreams.” Kids need a place to be able to play, from soccer fields to ball fields, he said.

“What better way for kids to spend their time?” he said.

John, whose dad use to call him “Tomaso,” said it was appropriate for him to be dedicated Culver Field and Chiro Field at Tomaso park. He spends a lot of time in the Chicago area where his daughter and son-in-law, Patrick Mannelly, a Chicago Bears veteran, live. John was impressed with the breakfast at Papa G’s Restaurant, he said.

“If you want to know what these fields mean, look around and see these kids. Enough said,” he said before thanking everyone for coming out and ending with let’s “get on with the games.”

The brief ceremony included both Culver’s and Chiro for their donation to the Huntley Park District. The donations covered the cost of the scoreboards.

 “’We can’t always prepare our future for our youth but we can prepare our youth for the future,’” Dr. Chris Fierro said, quoting Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Sports is an invaluable way to prepare our youth for the future, it teaches them team work, teaches them to be healthy and teaches them self-esteem, Fierro said. Sports also teach youth how to deal with disappointment and move on, he said.

“It teaches them that goals plus hard work leads to accomplishment,” Fierro said.

Terri Agate, general manager of Culver’s Huntley, was excited and proud to see the restaurant’s name on the field. “We’ve been strong supporters of the community. It’s nice we can put our name here and let the community know how much we are about them,” she said. “My team couldn’t be any more prouder.”

Culver’s donated ice cream and cake for the dedication, which drew young and older fans. John signed baseballs and bats afterward.

“(Kids) want to play for the Cubs or the White Sox but, the things is, just get play….just get on the field and compete,” John said as he signed his name for fans. “The odds are they won’t play profession but they can play and go to college for free.”

As for advice he has for his former team, the White Sox, who are having one of their most difficult season in recent years?

“If I were Jerry Reinsdorf, I would bring in an exorcist,” John said. “There are some demons there. They are losing games every which way.”