Groundbreaking was held in Compton Wednesday for the largest Dodger Dreamfields project, which will include three fields and fitness and training zones.
The Dodgers Dreamfields at Gonzales Park will honor the family of Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball’s color line with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Ayo Robinson, a granddaughter of Jackie Robinson, was among the participants in the groundbreaking, along with Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw and “black-ish” star Anthony Anderson.
Kershaw’s charity, Kershaw’s Challenge, was among the organizations providing funding for the project, along with the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and Compton.
The multimillion-dollar project’s Field 42, named for the number Robinson wore with the Dodgers, will be designed for baseball and softball players ages 5-to-8 years old. Rachel Robinson Field, named for Jackie Robinson’s wife, was designed for baseball players ages 9-to-12 years old and softball players 9-to-18 years old.
Jackie Robinson Stadium was designed for baseball players 13 years old and older.
The project will include fitness and training zones, named for Kershaw’s Challenge, two enclosed batting cages and bullpens, an infield practice area and outdoor fitness equipment.
This will be the first set of Dreamfields to incorporate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation’s Science of Baseball curriculum.
The Dodgers Dreamfields program began in 2003 when the team was owned by the Fox Group. It continued when Frank McCourt owned the team from 2004-2012 and under the current ownership. The foundation has refurbished 51 Dodgers Dreamfields since 2003.
The foundation is the team’s official charity, supporting programs in sports and recreation, education and literacy, health and wellness benefiting children and families throughout the Los Angeles area.
Its programs are funded through private donations and various fundraising events. Team finances are not used.