04-22-08
#35
Baseball
fields at Brush Park named after Ken Webster
Baseball
fields at Brush Park have been named after legendary Ken
Webster
Story by Joe Parisi - pictures by Zalika Green
On
Saturday, April 19, over 300 Little League players
marched into Brush Park to take part in a classic slice
of Americana — 2008 Opening Day ceremonies of the Mount
Vernon Little League.
Those who attended this year's Opening day ceremonies
witnessed history in the making, since the fields at
Brush Park were named “The Ken Webster Fields at Brush
Park.”
For those new to Mount Vernon, Ken Webster is a
legendary Mount Vernonite who was a loyal employee of
the City of Mount Vernon's Recreation Department for
over 37 years. Many of those years he spent serving as
President of the Mount Vernon Baseball League. In Mount
Vernon, when someone says, “Ken Webster,” their first
thought is baseball. There was no one as dedicated as
Ken Webster to youth baseball in the Mount Vernon
community.
On Opening Day, April 23, 2005, Webster announced his
retirement from the Mount Vernon Little League, after
being a coach and official with the league for nearly 40
years. Webster held back tears at the farewell ceremony,
which took place at Brush Field.
Webster was born in Mount Vernon, attended Mount Vernon
Schools and lived in Mount Vernon with his treasured
wife, Claire, until the very end.
Webster's longevity as a Little League coach and
official can be attributed to a very supportive wife.
"Claire never complained once, although she became a
baseball widow at the start of every season," Ken told
The Inquirer in June of 2005.
On June 3, 2002, the Mount Vernon Babe Ruth League was
named after Webster to his surprise.
Throughout the years, Webster's greatest satisfaction
was watching kids he coached grow up, then return as
adults to thank him.
Webster died after a long illness on Sunday, May 27, at
the age of 73, and is survived by his wife, Claire, his
son Stephen and his daughter Michele.
After throwing the first pitch of the season, Mayor
Clinton I. Young, Jr., was joined by members of the City
Council, and Comptroller Maureen Walker in the unveiling
of a new sign naming the fields at Brush Park after
Webster. They were all joined by Webster’s wife,
Claire, and other family members.
Ken
Webster announcing his retirement at Brush Park on
Opening Day,
April 23, 2005.
Lucille Jenkins
(l to r)
Mayor Young, Claire Webster and Karen Watts
A
view of the over 300 players that participated
Claire Webster holding a
portrait of her husband
