The Lakeshore Baseball Club making over Marsh Field in Muskegon

MUSKEGON, Mich. (WZZM) - A city-owned baseball field in Muskegon will soon get a facelift, thanks to three businessmen who are also baseball enthusiasts.

The work at Marsh Field on Laketon Avenue will start this spring. The men have a new agreement with the city to take private control over the public park.

Lakeshore Baseball Club goes to bat for Marsh Field

By Dave Alexander | Muskegon Chronicle

January 30, 2010

MUSKEGON — In a move they are hailing as a home run, Muskegon city commissioners have reached an agreement with the Lakeshore Baseball Club LLC to operate, maintain and improve Marsh Field.

Commissioners last week unanimously approved a three-year contract with an organization led by two local, longtime amateur baseball promoters. Money will not change hands between the club and city but both expect to benefit.

The city will get a group passionate about promoting baseball and willing to restore some of the glory to historic Marsh Field at Laketon Avenue and Peck Street. The Lakeshore Baseball Club will get a baseball field and revenues generated from the facility from tickets, concessions and advertising.

Marsh Field and Lakeshore Baseball Club

City of Muskegon wants private group to maintain Marsh Field

By Dave Alexander | Muskegon Chronicle

November 20, 2009

The old field where Jesse Owens once dusted his toes and Satchel Paige trotted the bases is about to get a facelift.

Marsh Field, on the corner of Peck and Laketon, has hosted professional baseball stars, an Olympic track champion and high school games for nearly 100 years. But, it’s starting to show its age.

And officials from the cash-strapped city of Muskegon, which owns and cares for the field, think it might be time to forge a relationship for upkeep of the field with a private entity.

Enter the Lakeshore Baseball Club LLC. The new organization, led by Pete Gawkowski and Len Piasecki, hopes to make improvements to the facility so that it can host local and out-of-town youth baseball activities from tournaments to summer camps.

“Marsh Field has been in a state of decline over the past 10 years,” said Gawkowski, a West Michigan Subway sandwich shop franchise owner and developer of Extra Innings — a Norton Shores indoor baseball training facility.

Marsh Field also has a walking path as part of the recreational facilities at the city park. A formal three-year agreement having the Lakeshore Baseball Club take over the operation and maintenance of Marsh Field is being put in final form by attorneys. The field would remain the home and practice field for the Muskegon High School Big Reds baseball team.

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Hats Off to the Cats... Muskegon stars take 2 from Grand Rapids Elite Black

Muskegon Chronicle
By Scott Brandenburg
Wednesday July 21, 2009

Chris Sabo and Ian Engle are two ball players who aren't too happy the travel baseball season is almost over.

They're not the only ones on the Muskegon ChannelCats 18-under team to feel that way.

Sabo, Engle and company are starting to heat up, but only three games remain on their 2009 schedule after they swept a doubleheader from the Grand Rapids Elite Black on Monday.

Engle turned in two all-around good games and Sabo picked up the win in both of Muskegon's 14-4 and 11-9 wins at Mona Shores High School.

"It's great to pull out a couple of victories and finally get things going," said Engle, a Reeths-Puffer grad who plays at Jackson Community College. "It's huge to be making plays and getting the bats going at the same time."