Field O' Dreams: Irish Baseball Teams Make Their Pitch to American Fans
Baseball Ireland is asking American baseball fans to help them build a ballpark in Ireland
The Ashbourne Baseball Club is hoping to raise $20,000 in online donations from American baseball fans before the start of next season. Every $1 in donations will be matched and tripled by grants from the Irish government. To donate, visit www.FieldODreams.com.
The ballpark, which will be the first baseball facility of its kind in Ireland, will be located 18 miles northwest of Dublin and 20 minutes from the Dublin airport. The facility will include youth and adult fields, batting cages, bullpens, scoreboards and permanent seating.
"We've been playing baseball in Ireland for two decades and there are currently 500 players in our youth and adult leagues," said Baseball Ireland president Sean Mitchell. "Constructing a ballpark in County Meath is essential to the continued growth and development of the game here in Ireland."
Donations will be accepted between the first game of the 2012 World Series until St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2013. Donations will be handled by The Baseball United Foundation. For more information or to donate, visit www.FieldODreams.com.
About the Ashbourne Baseball Club and Baseball Ireland
The Ashbourne Baseball Club was founded in 2009 and currently has over 40 boys and girls between the ages of 5 and 15 playing baseball in County Meath, Ireland.
Founded in 1995, Baseball Ireland is the governing body for baseball in Ireland. There are currently over 500 youth and adult players playing throughout the country.
