Black River Falls Parks and Recreation Director Steve “Petey” Peterson has been guiding Jackson County’s Little League program for years. Petey’s fellow Little League supporters started planning months ago to honor Petey, dedicating the softball field Marks East to Petey.

Thanks to Petey being summoned for a problem at the waterpark during one of the Little League meetings, planning was accomplished to a large extent that one evening.

The presentation was made during Saturday’s Pumpkin Ball Tournament, an event spearheaded by Petey and one that’s grown every year since it began. Surrounded by former and current ball players, family and friends, JC Little League President Steve Hansen presented Petey with a plaque sharing a few details of Petey’s dedication to the program and to the city.

“The field is dedicated to a man, who for over 30 years, has dedicated his life to this community, giving every child the opportunity to fall in love with sports as he himself has,” shared Hansen.

“I’m humbled,” shared an emotional Petey. “It takes a community to make an individual. To be compared to the Bob Teeples field, I don’t think there’s anything that can be a better honor than that.”

Mayor Jay Eddy was also on hand for the presentation. “He does this because he cares; he doesn’t do it for the money,” shared Mayor Eddy. “The day he leaves, those will be big shorts to fill.”

Following lots of hugs, quite a few tears, pats on the back, it was time to play ball. Petey took to the pitcher’s mound as his team, Team Petey, took to the field. First pitch, “Strike one.”

By JoDee Brooke / Banner Journal / September 13, 2017