Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper, the District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation, and the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation have joined together to create Bryce Harper Field at the Takoma Community Center in Northwest D.C. An official dedication ceremony will take place in early May.
“I am excited and honored to participate in the dedication of Bryce Harper Field at the Takoma Community Center,” Harper said. “Youth baseball was a very important part of my childhood. The game of baseball has taught me life lessons and shaped the man I am today. To give back to the D.C. community and have local kids play baseball on a field dedicated in my name is truly an honor.”
The project was made possible through financial contributions from Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation, in partnership with the DC Department of Parks and Recreation.
Bryce Harper Field is the Nationals Dream Foundation’s third Legacy Field. Ryan Zimmerman Field, located a few blocks from Nationals Park in the Randall Recreation Center, was the first field completed in April 2016 as part of the Legacy Fields program. The second Legacy Field project, Iván ‘Pudge’ Rodríguez Field, was dedicated in August 2017 at Mason District Park in Annandale, Va.Through this program, the Nationals Dream Foundation will renovate one youth baseball and/or softball field in the Washington, D.C. region each year.
“I am delighted to announce Bryce’s support of the Dream Foundation’s third Legacy Field project,” said Marla Lerner Tanenbaum, chair of the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation. “We know that when kids have safe, state-of-the-art facilities to play baseball and softball, they embrace the game and all of its benefits. With these fields, the Dream Foundation is helping to cultivate baseball’s lessons of perseverance, team-work, and the importance of physical activity among the D.C. region’s kids.”
Bryce Harper Field will accommodate both 46/60 and 50/70 styles of youth baseball play and will serve the surrounding community by hosting Senators Satchel Paige Little League games, along with other youth baseball leagues. The project also includes the addition of a baseball-dedicated play space located to the south of Bryce Harper Field.
“We are excited to partner with the Nationals Dream Foundation to create a space that will inspire our community to play, stay healthy and further the Mayor’s initiative to become a Fit DC! We look forward to the amazing events and activities that will call this great field home over the years!” said Keith Anderson, Director of DC Department of Parks and Recreation.
About the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation
As the charitable arm of the Washington Nationals, the Nationals Dream Foundation is committed to using the power of baseball to improve the lives of children and teens in the Washington, D.C. region by supporting initiatives focused on academics, the arts, nutrition and sports. For more than a decade, the Nationals Dream Foundation has been making a direct impact on the surrounding community. The Dream Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. More information about the Nationals Dream Foundation can be found at nationals.com/Dream.
About the DC Department of Parks and Recreation
The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) provides quality urban recreation and leisure services for residents and visitors to the District of Columbia. DPR supervises and maintains area parks, community facilities, swimming pools and spray parks, and neighborhood recreation centers. The agency also coordinates a wide variety of recreation and educational programs including sports leagues, youth development, therapeutic recreation, aquatic programming, outdoor adventure, camping, and senior citizen activities. Adaptive programs and facilities are available for persons with disabilities. Visit DPR.DC.gov for more information.