By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

Lester Miller predicted that Jeff Battcher would tear up, and even pretty much bet on it.

“I was willing to bet $500 today that he was gonna cry,” the Macon-Bibb mayor elect said. “And if he does, I'm gonna spend 500 dollars doing something to this field, whether it's buying a sign or buying some baseballs or softballs.”

About 10 minutes later, Battcher took to the microphone.

“Lester’s gonna owe a thousand dollars.”

At $500 per sniffle episode or extended eyes-wiping, Miller will be on the hook for a some change as emotions were on the surface for Battcher as he and a collection of local officials took part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new field as part of the Tom Fontaine Complex on Anthony Road.

The $1.6 million field is the home to the Macon RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) Program, now known as the Braves RBI-Macon program, with Atlanta taking over.

It is covered with pro-level Astroturf, and allows for a variety of youth recreational programs overseen by the Boys & Girls Club of Central Georgia.

The ceremony was organized by partner United Way of Central Georgia and emceed by United Way president and CEO George McCanless.

Jeff Battcher introduces a new field on Thursday, with (left to right) Lester Miller, Mike Austin of the Macon Houston Authority, George McCanless of the United Way of Central Georgia (blocked), and Sherron Sinclair Tullos.Photo: United Way — Jeff Battcher introduces a new field on Thursday, with (left to right) Lester Miller, Mike Austin of the Macon Houston Authority, George McCanless of the United Way of Central Georgia (blocked), and Sherron Sinclair Tullos.
*Photo: United Way*

The project involved the United Way, city of Macon, Macon-Bibb, the Macon-Bibb school district, Atlanta Braves, Macon Housing Authority. Battcher said Georgia Power and Metro Power were teaming to provide lighting to the two existing fields in the short term and for the new field by the next baseball season.

Battcher was hoarse, and his voice cracked as he talked – several miles an hour faster than the other speakers – and ran off the list of names and groups and companies involved in the facilities upgrades and construction.

“Look what we can accomplish when we work together, when we don't care who gets the credit,” Battcher said. “Look what we've done. Look what we've done.

“All of (his friends) had to hear about this for six years, and were tolerant of me, and encouraging. This is what we can do when we work together.”

Miller knew a major expenditure in a struggling area was open to criticism and second-guessing.

“It's not the money, it's the investment into this community,” he said. “You talk about equity and inclusion in an area that's been depressed ... . This is what it looks like. This is not in north Macon, this is not in South Bibb.

“This is right here in the heart of Macon-Bibb County, in a community that needs something like this to show these children that you see today - and this is what it's about - hope. This is what hope looks like.”

Battcher is something of an Energizer bunny when it comes to such activity.

“Wherever he can see that he can make a difference, especially in children's lives, he's willing to spend his time and his money to try and do that,” McCanless said. “I promise you, there is no question. This field would not be here today if it wasn't for this guy driving this thing forward.”

Battcher was in regular contact with Major League Baseball, its players’ association, and the Braves, as well as the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation.

His scratchy voice cracked a few times while he talked, including when he got to whom this particular field was going to be named after. That man was Vernon Sinclair, who died of cancer in 2016.

“The reason I'm here today is because a man like Vernon Sinclair saw a kid from a broken home who didn't have any way to get back and forth to play Little League baseball,” said Battcher, a Stratford grad. “He came and picked me up every day. I lived way out in east Macon. He picked me up, took me back and forth, to play baseball for three years.”

Sinclair was a working-class man, who Battcher said wasn’t some big speaker or remarkable baseball mind, that his impact came from somewhere else.

What he was was he there every day,” Battcher said. “To have his old station wagon come to my house and pick me up meant more to me for those three years, and it showed me that somebody cared.

“When somebody cares about you, that means more than you'll ever know. It gives you a little hope in your life. That's what this field is, to let all these kids know and the people in the neighborhood that we care.”

The complex isn’t in the safest area of Macon, as Miller hinted at, but it can be part of changing that reputation.

“We've had 43 murders in Macon-Bibb county this year alone,” said Miller, also the former school board president. “How many of those lives and how much is it worth saving those lives? To me, it means a lot.

“You may hear ... ‘$1.6 million for a turf field, that's ridiculous,’” he said “How many children's lives will we save by playing ball on this field here? How much of a difference are we going to make with our children because of the turf on this field that I'm standing on?”

Shortly after unveiling the scoreboard with Sinclair’s name on it, Battcher stood in the middle of many hand – including a collection of kids – to cut the ribbon.

Sinclair was represented by his daughter Sherron.

“To stand here and look out at the field of dreams and all the hard work and dedication of Jeff Batcher and everyone else that it took to make this happen is beyond humbling,” she said, emotions getting to her as she started speaking. “My only hope is that every child who walks upon this field that the Vernon Sinclair field will be a catalyst bringing forth more Jeff Batchers, that every coach will be inspired to walk in my father's footsteps.”