Play Ball! Alumni Field at Kutcher Foundation Stadium hosted its dedication ceremony on Wednesday, March 24. Despite the inclement weather, the ceremony went on as scheduled.

It poured down rain the day of the ceremony, so due to the weather, tents were set up in the oval to keep guests and speakers dry.
The Master of Ceremonies for the afternoon was Jeremy Conn. He is known for being a co-host on the “Big Bad Morning Show” and the “Scott Garceau Show.”
Other speakers for the ceremony included Archbishop William E. Lori, County Executive Barry Glassman, JC President Steve DiBiagio, The Kutcher Foundation’s Sue and John Kutcher and Coach Darrion Siler.
To begin the ceremony Jeremy Conn welcomed guests and introduced the guest speakers.
He then turned over the microphone to Archbishop Lori who blessed the field and made a few remarks.
Following the Archbishop, Country Executive Glassman spoke.
He referred to JC’s new collegiate level baseball field as “the field of dreams.”
Mr. DiBiagio thanked everyone who helped to make the field happen. He began his remarks by saying, “Thank you all for being here to celebrate this historic day for John Carroll.”
Next he spoke about the students and how he was “amazed by what I see out here. I am overwhelmed by who I see. It has been a difficult year during a tough time. You were a beacon of hope and inspiration; you were bold and courageous; you are leaders.”
The field does not just affect the athletes in the baseball program. Mr. DiBiagio added, “This field is as much about academics as it is athletics. A whole new set of opportunities are being opened for our students to explore.”
Next to speak was JC Alumnus Sue Weller Kutcher. She talked about the impact JC had on her and her family’s lives and what this new field will add to the JC community.
She said, “As an alumni field, I hope it is instrumental in bringing alumni back home again because as we all know ‘Once a Patriot, Always a Patriot.’”
Mr. John Kutcher was next to speak at the ceremony. He said, “This is a baseball field, but what we really see here is… a classroom.” He said there are plans to build an amazing press box to where students in sports broadcasting and journalism can build a resume.
He said, “Someone can get a Major League job because of this field and this project and having that experience in sports analytics.”
Coach Siler thanked past and present coaches and all of the people who came together to make the field happen.
He said, “It takes a team to get the W. There were a lot of people who we are very grateful for that were involved in this project.”
The National Anthem was performed by junior Gabby Spencer before the official first pitch on the field.
To conclude the ceremony, the first pitch was thrown by Mrs. Kutcher, and receiving the pitch was Coach Siler.
The original plan had been for a drone to deliver the first pitch to the mound, but due to the weather, that was not possible.
This dedication ceremony marks an important step in the continued development of the baseball program.