August 17, 1982: Bear Stadium Dedicated

By Margaret Leidy Harner from her book One Day at a Time: A Social History of Boyertown, PA

August 17, 1982: Boyertown’s Field of Dream, Bear Stadium, has been dedicated tonight in a very impressive ceremony, featuring great emotion and standing ovations from the audience of more than 2000 fans. After a masterful performance by the Boyertown High School marching unit led by Arlen Saylor, the Master of Ceremonies Don Specht took over. The stadium, built mostly with volunteer contributions of time, energy talent and money, was presented to the Boyertown Area School District. Accepting the magnificent gift were Superintendent James Replogle and School Board President, Gerald Feege. Remarks followed from Adam Surgeoner co-chair of the American Legion baseball committee and Ken Ellis, committee treasurer, who quipped. “We did the difficult tasks right away, and the impossible took a little longer.” Bear Stadium, built under the supervision and hard work of Bud Garber, who got a standing ovation, was given to the school district debt-free, with most invoices stamped “Paid in full” from the stadium contractors. C.S. Garber, Inc. had contributed more than $100,000 in goods and services, and Roth and Ellis donated all of the brick work at the stadium. It has become a sought-after host venue for important tournaments, county, state, and national, and it is every local Little Leaguers’ dream to play baseball in Bear Stadium.

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