Birnamwood to add memorial to baseball diamond

By: 
Luke Reimer
Reporter

The Birnamwood Village Board passed a request from one resident to memorialize his father at the baseball diamond on Maple Street during its June 13 meeting.

Birnamwood resident Rich Resch came to the board meeting to discuss a possible memorial for his father, Dave Resch, at the baseball diamond. Resch said that his father passed away four years ago, and that he wanted to to do something to to honor his dad’s memory.

“At his funeral, in lieu of flowers, we took donations to do something at the ballpark to memorialize him,” said Resch. “We played a game up in Antigo, and they had a green privacy screen on the outfield fence. They had a memorial for someone who had passed away written on the fence. I thought that was really neat.”

Resch noted his father played baseball for 20 years and managed for another 10 years.

“He was really fond of the ballpark,” said Resch. “That was one of his favorite places to be.”

Due to Milwaukee Braves Third Baseman Eddie Mathews being his father’s favorite player and Mathews wearing number 41, Resch said that he wants to put “In memory of David Resch #41” on the outfield fence.

”We would put the green privacy screen all over the outfield fence, but since Birnamwood has a gate in the middle of the field, we would probably put the memorial on the left field fence,” said Resch.

He said that all of the money for the screen has been raised, and that the village would not need to help in terms of finances.

Village Board President Mike Sprague said that he did not have a problem with Resch family putting the screen up.

“I really think that it would really dress up the ballpark,” said Sprague.

Birnamwood Public Works Director Chris Jensen suggested that baseball players can help to move and store the screen if needed.

Sprague and Jensen both added that it should not be a problem, and they can store the screen in the concession stand or at the village’s storage building.

Resch added that, if interested, they could add more names to the fence for memorialization in the future.


lreimer@newmedia-wi.com