onstruction project
c
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'dge work set to start
Mansfield.Page 82
phillyBurbs.com/bct
YQill: Internet
Starts Here.
SectiQn B
Hoping for a.home run
Rink on Fostertown Road in May.
home run with kids.
Inside the 40,OOO-square-foot
"What really convinced me to
building are three Wiffle Ball
roll the dice - we all put up our
fields built to the likeness of
. houses for collateral- you need
By Chris Bishop
Citizens Bank Park in
to
find
something
you're
passionStaff writer
Philadelphia, Fenway Park in
ate about," said Douglas, an
[email protected]
.
Boston and Yankee Stadium in
Evesham resident.
609-871-8140
New York.
He and partners Steve Naylor
As Douglas explained, it
of
Woodbury
and
Stephanie
MEDFORD - The
enables
kids to play Wiffle Ball in
Passaro of Evesham started Big
Philadelphia Phillies didn't win
an indoor environment and preLeague
Dreams
last
spring
to
the World Series.
tend they're in the big leagues.
bring some fun to local children
But Pat Douglas and his two
The fields, with artificial turf,
in
a
safe
environment.
partners remain passionate about
are 'smaller, of course, and for
The trio opened a Wiffle Ball
baseball. And they're hoping
See BASEBALL, Page B6 .
center at the former Medford Ice
their new business will hit a
New business caters to
kids with baseball-dreams.
·t,
PETE PICKNALLY I STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Ian Sachs, age sot Cherry Hill, bats on Boston Field inside
Big League Dreams, on Fostertown Road in Medford. The
former ice skating rink has three Wiffle Ball fields: Philly
Field, Boston Field and NY Field.
"
,(
1\.
86
LOCAL
BURLINGTON COUNTY TiMES
PETE PICKNALLY / STAFF PHOTeGRAPHER
Steve Naylor, of Woodbury, is one of the partners of Big League Dreams, on Fostertown Road [n
Medford. The former ice skating rink has three Wiffle Ball fields inside made to look like the real big
league stadiums. At-right is New York field.
Naylor, who met Douglas at
Siemens, still works for the
engineering and technology
Continued from Page Bl
company, which has branches
\ worldwide.
Douglas and, Passaro, 38,
copyright reasons the names
met through their children,
are generic. They are called
who were involved in local
New York Field, Philly Field
and Boston Field.
sports. Passaro, who was not
present for a recent interview
Douglas, a former college
baseball player; came up with
at Big League Dreams, brings
small-business and administrathe idea a few years ago when
tive skills to the partnership,
his oldest son, Shane, now 13,
Douglas said.
told him he wanted to play
Douglas, a 1980 graduate of
Wiffle Ball at a birthday party.
Willingqoro High School, said
The problem was that there
was no indoor facility in the
the ice rink building was
area that offered it.
"junked" when.he and his
partners took over-in fall 2008.
"Shane wanted a place for
"It took three months to get
his own birthday party, and we
couldn't find a party place,"
the building back together," he
,Douglas .said.
.
said, adding that the trio spent
about $500~000 on renovations
Douglas, a youth baseball
coach, loves sports and coach, to convert the ice rink into Big
League Dreams.
ing kids, so he combined the
two.
The center, which has batThe first thing he and his
'
ting cages, an arcade, snack
•
partners had to do was find a
stand and "locker rooms" for
site.
the teams, is geared for birthDouglas, 47, and Naylor, 31,
day parties, Douglas said. The
, who worked together at
site also offers adult and youth
leagues, baseball training sesSiemens, said they spent a lot
sions, summer camp, 'team
of time two years ago looking
building and corporate events.
at a variety of locales in South
Jersey before they came upon '
But the focus, he said,
remains children's birthday
the ice rink, which was being
sold by Samuel N. Barresi, a
parties on the weekends.
Naylor pointed out that the
Long Branch resident who
home party has lost its allure
owned it since the mid-1980s.
{
because of the changing family,
Barresi had put the rink up
the hassle of cleaning up and
fOf sale a few years ago but
apparently found no bidders. )
busy schedules.
"You have to think of everyHe closed it in, January 2005
thing with a home party," he
after his tenant, Mid-Atlantic
said. "We try to make it enjoyRink Associates, failed to pay
~able
for parents as well.'"
its liability insurance premiHe said 'coordinators
um. Mid-Atlantic was evicted
watch the kids as they play to
and Barresi closed the building
make sure the games are
'
to the public.
,
Douglas, a former director
under control.
of operations at Siemens in
"We expect the winter to be
Vineland, said he and his parta really busy time," Douglas
ners signed a long-term lease
said.
with Barresi last year. Terms of.
/
the contract were not disclosed.
Baseball