Local Sandlot Unable To Foster Childhood Dreams

Story by Mitch McCann 

| Published Dec 6, 2011

The Willow Springs sandlot was commissioned by the Lincoln City Council in 1948 as an area for local schoolchildren to play and pass the time after school. Members of the local community have recently begun a petition for the removal of the site, as it seems to have outlived its usefulness to the surrounding neighborhoods.

“The lot is now largely vacant, with the exception of your run-of-the-mill drug deal every once in a while,” said Parks and Recreation official Shelley Lenz. “We leave the park open in the hopes that one day we’ll have someone famous return to the park and re-inspire the local youth to turn their lives around. Like Dennis Quaid in that one movie.”

The petition, which currently has 238 signatures, was sparked when Lincoln East star senior pitcher Bobby Tisdale announced he would practice his last game at the sandlot and then retire his glove in order to go to college and pursue a major in Business Administration.

“Tisdale was a local legend, one of a long line of many, actually. But once he announced he was leaving baseball forever, it was kind of the last twist of the knife. Our last chance at making that sandlot really mean something,” said Lenz. “We’ll never forget the times we had. Maybe we’ll get a made-for-tv-movie spot on Lifetime or OWN or something.”