A few hours before the McDonald’s Baseball Classic was scheduled to begin Friday and even prior to yesterday’s rain, there was at least one pretty big fan of baseball checking out the Bridgeport Recreation Complex. And he’s actually more than just a fan.

 

West Virginia University baseball Coach Randy Mazey stopped by the facility yesterday morning and it wasn’t just to get away from the rigors of Big 12 Conference baseball. Instead, Mazey was on hand to meet with Bridgeport Community Development Director Randy Spellman and Don Burton and Joe Shuttleworth of Bridgeport Parks and Recreation.

 

Mazey wanted to see the wagon-wheel configuration of four baseball fields at the complex. He also was interested in everything from parking and maintenance issues, to storage facilities and batting cages.

 

“The purpose of him contacting us was to look at our facility and to try and get something similar off the ground in Morgantown,” said Spellman. “In what form that takes, I’m not certain, but I know (before we met he was) wanting to know as much as possible about these fields and those who take advantage of it.”

 

Spellman was correct. For more than an hour Mazey looked over the entire complex. The group explained how the complex came into play, the annual maintenance and how volunteer groups have proven pivotal in its success. They also talked about the economic impact that the complex has for Bridgeport, potential future expansion, things they would do different, positives and negatives involving the complex and Mazey was given an open invitation to consider using the Bridgeport Recreation Complex to host a home non-conference game in the future.

 

Mazey asked if those in the group would be willing to come to Morgantown and meet with a committee he’s involved with in Morgantown aimed at increasing baseball opportunities there. The second-year coach, who said he is big into the role youth baseball plays in the development of children, also volunteered to give seminars in the Bridgeport area. It’s all part of what he said is getting things right with youth sports in general and with youth baseball in Morgantown in particular. And seeing what was done in Bridgeport, he said, is a nice blueprint for moving forward.

 

“One of my philosophies with myself and with my team is that if you see somebody that is really good at something and you want to be good at something, do what they do,” said Mazey. “If you could pick this complex up and carry it to Morgantown and drop it down there you could immediately have a great baseball complex. Morgantown is in desperate need of some more baseball facilities and this is a great avenue to start.”

 

After meeting with the group from Bridgeport, Mazey continued to rave about the facility. And considering he’s previously from Texas where massive recreational complexes are often part of most communities, his closing comments could be considered the ultimate in praise.

 

“This is beautiful. It’s manicured perfectly and it’s one of the nicest complexes I’ve ever had the pleasure of getting to see. I’ve seen them all over the place and this perhaps the nicest,” said Mazey. “My initial thoughts are what could they have done to make this nicer and I really don’t know what they could have done. The fields here are in pristine condition and they’ve done an unbelievable job. This is really something to be proud of.”

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Joe Shuttleworth, left, talking to WVU Coach Randy Mazey, center, about how various fields can be adapted for use by different leagues. Bottom photo shows P&R Director Don Burton, left, with Mazey and Spellman as they talk about the concourse area at the complex.