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Kathryn Stephens, President Lindgren, and Carol Estes-Williams |
Randolph-Macon College dedicated the Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park on Saturday, April 9, 2011.
Click on Baseball Field Dedication to view a slideshow of photos from the event.
Director of Athletics Jeff Burns ’87 welcomed guests and gave a brief history of R-MC’s baseball program. “This is a very special day for us because baseball has been interwoven into the history of this great college, and today we get to celebrate yet another milestone,” said Burns. “The first baseball teams date back to the late 1800s when Randolph-Macon moved from its original site in Boydton, Virginia to Ashland.”
Click on Baseball History to read Burns’ speech.
Parker Dillard ’62, chair of the Committee on Athletics, addressed the crowd, saying, “This project was first dreamt of in 2007 in board meetings about the college’s 20-year facilities footprint. Through the leadership and vision of President Lindgren, an ambitious campus master plan for the college’s future took shape that included a stand-alone ballpark for Randolph-Macon baseball.”
Click on Parker Dillard to read his speech.
R-MC President Robert R. Lindgren told the enthusiastic crowd, “Our talented and successful baseball team now, finally, has a home of its own—and what a home it is!” Lindgren thanked all who made the facility possible.
"The Estes family has a long, close and supportive relationship with Randolph-Macon, beginning with Ed Estes’ distinguished tenure on our Board of Trustees. Ed and the Estes family have donated to countless projects on our campus: Estes Dining Hall, the Estes Aquatic Center, and the James D. Sr. & Helen E. Garland Endowed Scholarship just to name a few. Such commitment to the continued well being of our great college is almost without equal. I extend my and the college’s gratitude again to Carol, Ed and Susan, and to all the Estes clan assembled here today." A large number of the Estes family was in attendance to commemorate this special day.
“Thanks to the generosity of Carol Estes-Williams, in particular, and so many of you alumni, parents and friends who are with us today, along with the visionary leadership of our Board of Trustees, led by our outstanding chairman, Alan Rashkind ’69, and by our Athletics Committee, and our Yellow Jacket Club supporters, our Yellow Jackets now practice and play in a true state-of-the art facility, one that would be the envy of many Division I programs.”
Click on President Lindgren to read his speech.
Carol Estes-Williams, wearing a bright yellow R-MC sweatshirt, told the crowd, “Thank you for such a special day—my family is so honored to be part of this.” Estes-Williams credited her parents, Alise and Robey Estes, for instilling in her the importance of education.
“That’s why it is my family’s great pleasure to support educational enterprises that mirror the values of our family. In particular we are thrilled to help support athletic endeavors at schools like Randolph-Macon College because sports give students the opportunity to learn firsthand that hard work, dedication and teamwork all lead to positive results. These values are my parents’ legacy, and I am honored that this new facility will celebrate their lives.”
Click on Carol Estes-Williams to read her speech.
The event wrapped up with a ceremony on the field featuring Brandon Alwan ’11, who sang the national anthem while a new American flag, donated by Post 206 of the American Legion, was raised above the ballpark. Following the flag presentation, Carol Estes-Williams and her son, David, threw out the first pitch. Guests enjoyed lunch while watching the Yellow Jackets take on Guilford College.