SPRINGFIELD — Fulfilling Mayor Domenic Sarno’s pledge to replace what was lost, the new Ted Plumb Field officially opened to the public on Friday, Sept. 6, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Previously located on the corner of Roosevelt Avenue and Blunt Park Road, the field named after the legendary Springfield coach was removed in 2008 to make way for the new Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy, which opened in 2012. Now located behind Duggan Academy, what was once a promise to the Plumb family is now where student-athletes prepare for their future.
The field’s namesake was a coach for the Springfield Public Schools for more than 30 years and before that earned more than a dozen varsity letters as a student athlete.
“I always tell the student-athletes, ‘I want you to excel, not only on the field or on the court, but in the classroom, you can’t lose with the combination.’ This is very special to me because I had promised the Plumb family that we’re going to get this field replaced and rebuilt. And legendary sports writer for The Republican, Garry Brown, God rest his soul. Every couple of weeks, he would say, ‘When are you going to get it done? When are you going to get it done?’ So he looks down, and so does the coach, from heaven on this field,” Sarno said.
Construction and development of this field cost $9.4 million with contributions coming from federal funding, the National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund, and Community Development Block Grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“Late Coach Ted Plumb was a legend in Springfield athletics, inspiring generations of student-athletes and teaching them life skills that served them well beyond the football field. I cannot think of a more fitting tribute to his legacy than this impressive sports complex that will benefit the Springfield community for years to come,” U.S. Rep. Richard Neal (D-Springfield) said in a prepared statement. “… I applaud Mayor Sarno and his administration, including the Parks Department, Schools Department, and Capital Asset Construction team, for delivering the state-of-the-art athletic complex our community deserves.”
The ceremony preceded the first high school football game of the season between the High School of Commerce and Putnam, two schools that traditionally played on the old field. Beyond its impact on today’s student-athletes, the new field created a full-circle moment for the coaches who were once student-athletes themselves for the same schools.
“So I’m excited, man, anytime you’re opening up a new stadium, it was something that was definitely well needed here in the city and kind of giving us our own home field instead of sharing Central,” said Commerce Coach Jamar Holmes.
For the next generation, the field represents potential and excitement.
“Yeah, I feel very happy about it. I like the new feeling. I like everything that’s new and that has to come,” said Ackeem White, a junior member of the Commerce football team.
Reminder Publishing Managing Editor Chris Maza contributed to this report.
