Site of Jackson ballpark may be moved

The Jackson ballpark funded in part by ex-Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog will likely have a new location.

Citing high costs associated with building on city-owned land, organizers are eyeing a spot in the north part of town near U.S. 61. The original location was Jackson's Brookside Park, which also contains little league fields and a Vietnam War memorial.

The deal is not done, but organizers Jack Litzelfelner Sr. -- a former teammate of Herzog's -- and son Jack Litzelfelner Jr. hope it will be shortly.

"We're excited. We've got enough money to start now," said the younger Litzelfelner. "If everything goes right and the weather cooperates, we can start moving dirt in next couple weeks."

Herzog has been down to see the new site, said Litzelfelner, who said having the entire project completed and ready for games by spring 2008 is a realistic target.

Jackson has only one baseball field suitable for high school athletes, the American Legion Field in Jackson City Park. Supporters hope the new field will be similar to Capaha Field in Cape Girardeau. It will closely resemble another Herzog-funded field in Belleville, Ill.

The total project will likely cost more than $300,000 and will have a grass infield, an electronic scoreboard and possibly individual seats.

"It's going to be a world-class venue," Litzelfelner said.

Funding is still ongoing. Litzelfelner announced earlier Herzog pledged $25,000. He now says Herzog may be willing to commit more than double that. He also believes once work begins he will be able to raise more than $100,000 based on oral commitments.

"We've still got a long way to go. It's interesting, though -- an awful lot of people said 'when the deal is finalized, come back and talk to us.' So if everything comes through with pledges, we could be halfway there after we make the announcement," he said.

The ballfield site is adjacent to the site of another project, the proposed Jackson Community Center. That project, with a more than $3 million price tag, is set to be built on Southeast Missouri Medical Center-owned land near Route D and Broadridge Street.

No date has been set for construction of the community center.

tgreaney@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245