MILWAUKEE -- Renovations are underway at the newly-named James Beckum Park baseball diamond at 9th and Brown in Milwaukee. The renovations are the result of a Chevrolet project called "Diamonds and Dreams."
At the 82nd annual All-Star Game in 2011, as an extension of Diamonds and Dreams, Chevrolet announced that as MVP of the game, Prince Fielder would be able to select an organization that could put the donation toward improvements of inner city youth baseball fields. Prince Fielder, while working with the Brewers Community Foundation, selected Milwaukee County Parks as the recipient.
Milwaukee County Parks, with the guidance of the Brewers Community Foundation submitted several park location options to Chevrolet where this money could be used for field improvements. James W. Beckum Park was selected because of the immediate impact it would have in field improvements for the Beckum-Stapleton Little League which has been in existence since 1964.
In addition, Milwaukee County Parks in partnership with the Milwaukee Brewers, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) and the City of Milwaukee will plant 30 trees in the park to commemorate Arbor Day and coincide with the improvements that are taking place with the Chevrolet donation. The tree plantings are part of the Root, Root, Root for the Brewers campaign that donated 150 trees in 2012 to be planted in communities that surround Miller Park. The campaign, invests in one tree for every projected 20,000 tickets.