Alumni President Bobby Hudgens, left, is joined by Hamilton County Commissioner Tim Boyd, center, in presenting checks totaling $100,000 raised to help build a new field house for Raymond James Stadium.
East Ridge football coach Tim James put out the call a couple of weeks ago inviting all the men who have donned the Orange and White of Pioneer football to attend Friday night’s home opener against Brainerd, and the christening of the new Raymond James Stadium.
James’ call was answered by scores of former players who had suited up across more than four decades and they made their way down Tombras Avenue underneath new orange and white flags handmade by Shirley Andrews Baugh. The former players gathered around at halftime on Shanks Field and stood behind the families of Mack Franklin and Ed Woodham as city dignitaries dedicated the school’s outdoor sports facilities in their honor.
All the ball fields around the campus (baseball, softball, soccer and practice facilities) will now be known as “Mack Franklin, Ed Woodham Athletic Park.” Even the venerable Shanks Field/Raymond James Stadium falls under the umbrella.
The City of East Ridge assumed financial responsibility of the athletic fields last year when Hamilton County Schools deeded over the land, records show. The county school system had long ago adopted a policy of not setting aside funds for maintenance of athletic fields, system wide. The City of East Ridge, which had historically chipped in money to make minimal improvements to those fields, is now responsible for the maintenance and any improvements that will be made in the future.
One of those improvements in the future will be a field house and restrooms at Raymond James Stadium. The East Ridge Alumni and Supporters Association had raised more than $50,000 in the wake of the condemnation of Raymond James Stadium by the City of East Ridge. City officials condemned the concrete stands as being structurally unsafe in August of 2015. The stadium, which also included dressing rooms and coaches’ offices, was razed.
Hamilton County Schools replaced the stadium with aluminum bleachers topped off by a press box.
On Friday night, Bobby Hudgens, the alumni association’s president, presented Mayor Brent Lambert with a check for $50,000. Hamilton County Commissioner Tim Boyd made good on his promise of matching those funds, handing over a $50,000 check to the mayor. This money will go toward the building of a field house, which alumni officials estimate to cost $300,000.
