Huntley Welcoming White Sox Baseball Great

Famed former Chicago White Sox pitcher Tommy John will be in town next month to help dedicate two park district fields, and to work with some budding ball players in the community.

On Saturday, May 7, the Huntley Park District will dedicate two fields at Tomaso Sports Park. Two local businesses – Culver’s and ChiroOne – each donated $10,000 to the park district to designate the fields.

The park district is using the funds to help make improvements at the new Culver’s Field and ChiroOne Field, Huntley Park District Recreation Director Debbie Kraus said.

Already, they’ve added new scoreboards to the fields, she said. They’re also going to be adding shade structures at the fields, which are located in the Talamore subdivision, just west of Route 47.

As part of the dedication ceremony, they will be showcasing those new scoreboards, which come from a company former major leaguer John is affiliated with.

John, who pitched in the major leagues from 1963 to 1989, will be on hand for the designation ceremony, and will stay afterwards to sign autographs and spend some time with the kids of the community on their baseball skills.

Everyone in the community is invited to attend, Kraus said.

“He’s going to do a little clinic with the kids and sign some autographs afterwards,” she said.

The dedication will begin at 10 a.m.

John, whose 288 career victories rank as the seventh highest in major league history among left-handers, will spend time with the kids shortly after the ceremony ends.

It’s very exciting that such a baseball great will be in Huntley, Kraus said.

And even more special, she added, is that community members will actually get to meet him and learn a few things from the pitcher, who not only player for the White Sox, but also for the Cleveland Indians, the L.A. Dodgers, the New York Yankees, the California Angels and the Oakland Athletics.

He’ll throw our some first pitches, Kraus said, and then talk to boys and girls about different ball playing skills.

“I think this is a great thing for our youth in the community to meet a former major leaguer, and a chance for the community to see the latest improvement the park district has made at the fields,” Huntley Park Board Commissioner Paul LaFleur said.