Classic Affair at a Classic Park 

Leslieville usually plays their home games at The Hood but a school fun fair day sent the boys on the road. Where to go? The Den? Those planters are a problem. The Let? Those kids and trees are a problem. The Guild? That travel is a problem. 

Burby Vet Muzafar Malik asked me why the league doesn’t play at Diplomatico field anymore. I said I don’t know why. We should. And we did.

The history here dates back to the beginning of TBL times. Memories of stick ballers from Hallam and long homeruns from Haivarlis. A Spaz out session from Perna and a Monday night All Star affair. 

It’s mostly concrete with big swathing trees lining the homerun wall. The location is perfectly placed just a block away from the hustle and bustle of little Italy. 

The league stopped using this park when it got crowded with dogs and kids and angry caretakers. But upon a recent inspection….the entire field is now fenced off with only a small gap on the east side fence to allow Burby players to enter this hallowed ground. 

There are 2 ways you can play this park. South to north where the fence is 187ft with the trees helping knock down dingers. Or East to West where the fence is 197ft and a short porch of 147 waits in left field. We took the South side. 

New to the park are very cool painted lines on the concrete that help pinpoint Burby boundaries. There’s also a couple neat games painted on the grounds including chess. Also it was quiet. Serene. Only the birds could be heard. And they were just chirping the balls and strikes that Adrian Golombek was calling. It’s a Burby Wonderland if you will.

There were only two Minor detractors from playing here. First off foul balls that go high and behind the batter end up on the short roof. Luckily for this game, Jeff Snow and Kevin Obrien who could probably place well in a tough mudder competition are able to get up on the roof to retrieve the balls. Secondly the trees limit homeruns at this park. But a new rule is in the works that will award no doubters that will help this park as well as The Den and Courcelette. Also the commish will offer his services and height to cut down a good portion of the low hanging limbs. 

It’s fitting that the Dip was played by some Burby vets that remember this park. Jeff Snow, Joel Heard and the Commish vs Rob Scotland, Kevin Obrien, Andrew Pasher and Dave Atkinson. The game was really secondary to the experience that was had by both squads. But it was a dandy game. 

The final was 2-0. Great pitching by Obrien, Heard, Snow and Atkinson. The only blemish on the Dusters was a 2 run triple by Golombek off Obrien in the 2nd inning. Other than that it was a quick and joyful outing. Here’s hoping other Burbyists  Dip back into time this year. 

AG