Lights at Kaat Park in memory of baseball great’s wife
MaryAnn Kaat was the light of Jim Kaat’s life for more than 20 years, and less than a year after her death she’s helping bring light to Little League baseball players in Zeeland.
Workers from Town & Country Group in Zeeland this week finished installing lights at the Sara Lee Field at Jim Kaat Park, opening the field to greater opportunities for programming and scheduling.
The $64,000 project was funded by money from the MaryAnn Kaat Memorial Fund, which Jim Kaat established shortly after his wife’s death from bladder cancer July 21, 2008.
“MaryAnn lit up my life,” Kaat, a Zeeland native who spent 25 years as a Major League Baseball pitcher and many more years in broadcasting, said on the fund’s Web site. “I can only hope that this effort will help shine a light on Little League players for years to come.”
Kelli Koss, youth and senior program director for Zeeland Recreation, said Kaat has been involved in the development of the baseball park since its inception. He was at the groundbreaking ceremony in 2005 and returned for the dedication of the park in 2006, along with MaryAnn and several members of their extended family.
The lights, she said, are just another example of Kaat’s dedication to the youth of his hometown.
“Jim Kaat has certainly taken ownership of these fields. He shows up at our tournaments, he supports the fields financially,” Koss said. “His friends support our fields, he lives in these fields, and I can tell you this park is a true reflection of the baseball player and man that Jim Kaat is — dedicated to kids, baseball, his family and his legacy.”
According to Koss, 23 Little League teams will use the three fields at Kaat Park this season. Typically, two games are played on the fields each weeknight, with more on Saturdays. The lights on Sara Lee Field will allow for extended play, which should help break some of the scheduling gridlock.
“Lights will allow us to run doubleheaders on Fridays during school and maybe some later games on Saturdays. But once school is out, we can make use of doubleheaders during the weeknights,” she said. “This will allow us to schedule 23 teams a tad easier. With one field lit, it’s like having another field once in a while.”
The MaryAnn Kaat Memorial Fund is managed by the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area. It is an ongoing fund, designed to be a source of funding for future projects to improve Kaat Park. Koss said the plan is to eventually light all three fields.
“I hope this fund will help promote youth baseball,” Kaat said. “There’s no better way to remember MaryAnn than through the game that has given us so much.”
Zeeland Little League kicks off its season with opening day festivities April 25. Koss said there will be dedication ceremony for the lights later in the summer. She also said a plaque commemorating MaryAnn Kaat will be on display at the park.
Following his wife’s death, Kaat told a reporter what he would like the plaque to say.
“She lit up my life for 22 years. Now she’s lighting up the field so kids can play past twilight,” Kaat said.
Donations can be made to the MaryAnn Kaat Memorial fund through the community foundation at www.cfhz.org. Checks can be mailed to Community Foundation of Holland/Zeeland, 70 W. Eighth St., Suite 100, Holland, Mich., 49423.
Please specify MaryAnn Kaat Memorial Fund.
Zeeland, MI —
