Here is a schmaltzy, overly-sentimental letter to the editor that I published in our local newspaper last week. Today is election day, and the votes are being counted as we speak... and in an ominous coincidence, three of the city wells have malfunctioned just today, and homeoners, farmers and ranchers were unable to irrigate today. Here's my letter-
Tearing Down Our History Should Not Be an Option
You may be aware that the proposed site for Prineville’s new multi-million dollar swim center is located at historic Davidson Field. I lamented to a friend about what appears to be the impending demise of our covered baseball stadium, which was founded in 1911. She -an even more devout baseball fan than I- shared this old adage with a sigh, “America the Beautiful, the only country who tears down her history.”
History indeed.
Did you know that Prineville has had official (uniformed) baseball teams since 1890? Imagine the decades- no, generations of fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, brothers, sisters, grand and great-grandchildren who have been cheered from the stands of this one Davidson Field.
This is what I think about during my endangered games of catch with my sons, on an endangered baseball field, the oldest baseball field and only covered stadium in Central Oregon.This may not be a church we are planning to plow under, but I would argue that it is a sacred place, because of the near-century of parents and children playing out what is good about us as a county, as a people: the unselfish practice of a game of catch- mine, now yours, now mine, now yours—
Please vote NO on this upcoming measure. I am eager for a new pool in this community, but we need to go back to the drawing board and come up with an economically feasible plan which also preserves our history. This town -as well as Davidson Field- is our sacred trust.
Warm Regards,
Jim Churchill-Dicks
