Chevrolet Hits Home Run with 'Dream' Baseball Diamond

BROWNSBURG, Ind., April 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- What began as an online ZIP Code nomination by local resident Joe Thomson became a grand slam for local baseball teams when a Brownsburg Little League field was chosen as one of five winners of Chevrolet's "Building Diamonds and Dreams" program.  

Now that the baseball season is under way, Brownsburg-area residents are invited as Town Council President Matt Bowles kicks off a field dedication ceremony today at 6 p.m. at Diamond 1 at Arbuckle Acres Park, 200 N. Green St. Brownsburg Little League uses Arbuckle Acres Park, a baseball/softball complex owned by Brownsburg Parks and Recreation.

"Brownsburg has a rich baseball tradition," said Thomson. "By providing our field makeover, Chevrolet, a company with its own long-standing baseball tradition, has provided a beautiful and safe field for my son and future generations of Brownsburg baseball players." The Brownsburg Little League's history includes two recent Little League World Series appearances and several college- and professional-level players, including Washington Nationals reliever Drew Storen.

The 2010 "Building Diamonds and Dreams" program, sponsored by Chevrolet and The Scotts Company, invited fans to nominate their community for a professional field makeover. Five winners were selected from more than 500,000 entries in the online promotion.

Field refurbishments included Major League-quality materials. The Brownsburg Little League field makeover included a new infield, batter's box, pitcher's mound, renovated warning track in front of dugouts, reshaped bullpens down the foul lines, adjusted bases, new grass line, and the elevation, grading and sodding of the low areas in the outfield. The team also repaired an irrigation pump. Renovations were completed in late 2010 by Ripken Design, the sports design and consulting firm owned by National Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr. and 12-year Major League Baseball veteran Bill Ripken.

"I am thrilled that Ripken Design has partnered with Chevrolet on this wonderful campaign that will benefit so many youth baseball and softball players in Brownsburg and other communities across the country," said Cal Ripken, Jr. "The renovations give the field a big-league look and feel that the kids will enjoy for many years."  

Chevrolet is proud to be the 'Official Vehicle of Major League Baseball®.' Since its beginning in Atlanta in 2006, Chevy Youth Baseball has benefited more than 1.5 million youth baseball players and their families. More information about the 2011 Building Diamonds and Dreams program can be found at chevybaseball.com

"Chevrolet's 'Building Diamonds and Dreams' program is another facet of our commitment to youth baseball programs across America," said Phil Caruso, Chevrolet marketing manager.  "Every young ball player wants and deserves a 'dream' baseball diamond, and Chevrolet, along with our partner, The Scotts Company, is proud to bring one to the Brownsburg community."

Scotts, the 'Official Lawn Care Company of Major league Baseball®,' continues to partner with Chevrolet and MLB on field refurbishments. Scotts believes it is important to offer youth a safe, reliable field and playing area. In addition to helping reduce injuries, a strong foundation of thick and lush grass helps create a beautiful outdoor environment that encourages children to spend time outdoors.

About Chevrolet

Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 130 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers "gas-friendly to gas-free" solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

About Scotts Miracle-Gro

With approximately $3 billion in worldwide sales, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, The Scotts Company LLC, is the world's largest marketer of branded consumer products for lawn and garden care. The Company's brands are the most recognized in the industry. In the U.S., the Company's Scotts®, Miracle-Gro® and Ortho® brands are market-leading in their categories, as is the consumer Roundup® brand, which is marketed in North America and most of Europe exclusively by Scotts and owned by Monsanto. In the U.S., the Company operates Scotts LawnService®, the second largest residential lawn care service business.  In Europe, the Company's brands include Weedol®, Pathclear®, Evergreen®, Levington®, Miracle-Gro®, KB®, Fertiligene® and Substral®. For additional information, visit us at www.scotts.com.

About Ripken Design

Ripken Design (RD) is a division of Ripken Baseball, the sales and marketing company based in Baltimore, Md. that represents all business and philanthropic efforts of National Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. and 12-year Major League Baseball veteran Bill Ripken. RD assists municipalities, ownership groups and investors with the design, management and development of unique complexes used for sports and other activities. Their experience, insight and perspective give RD the ability to forge strong public/private partnerships maximizing the benefits for their clients and partners. Professional baseball wisdom, from both an executive and player perspective, provides RD a unique position in today's marketplace that achieves the goals of builders. For more visit RipkenDesign.com www.ripkendesign.com

SOURCE General Motors