Baseball Field 1950 vs 2026
Marlene Steward Streit Park 2026
1950s vs 2026 -Pelham’s Original Baseball Field
The original baseball field in Pelham was built through a massive volunteer effort at Fonthill Park (now Marlene Stewart Streit Park) following its opening on May 24, 1939.
The Creation of "The Pit" was constructed inside a natural ravine just north of modern-day Highway 20. Local residents nicknamed the bowl-shaped area "The Pit" due to its steep, sunken terrain. Although the park hosted basic sports fields and fireworks during its 1939 launch, the site initially lacked a proper entrance from the downtown core.
Memories of this area include 4th of July fireworks for many years.
The Lions Club Upgrades:
In 1945, the Fonthill Lions Club took over the development of the park's sports facilities. Their volunteer efforts transformed the original field through several key projects:Roadway Access: The club bought the necessary land rights to build Park Street, creating a direct entrance into the ravine.
Field Construction: Volunteers cleared the land to build a dedicated baseball diamond and a community bandstand.Night Lighting: In the late 1940s, the Lions funded and installed the town's first field floodlights, making evening baseball games possible.Winter Transformation: During the winter, volunteers lined the area next to the diamond with sawdust and flooded it to create an outdoor hockey and skating rink.