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Fields
named at sports complex
Wm. "Gus" Moorhead; Roscoe "Lefty"
Sutherlin honored on Saturday
Wanda English Burnett
Editor
Two men were memorialized as their names were attached to ball
fields at the Tyson Memorial Sports Complex at Versailles on Saturday,
May 14.
Emceeing the ceremony, Denise Fields said both Wm. Gus
Moorhead and Roscoe Lefty Sutherlin were good sportsmen
and leaders in the community.
Larry Sutherlin, son of Roscoe Sutherlin, threw out the first
pitch on field #1, the field named after his father.
The crowd moved to field #2, where Brady Byrdwell, great-grandson
of Wm. Gus Moorhead, threw out the first pitch on
that field. Also on the field assisting with the pitch effort
was great-grandson, Aiden Byrdwell.
Despite looming clouds and threats of rain, a crowd gathered as
Fields paid tribute to the two men who shaped the ball program
for the community. For generations to come the efforts of these
two along with many others, will make it possible for area children
to come together and play ball on the fields that opened for action
just last year.
The Versailles Lions Club was also thanked for their contributions
of two picnic tables that are now in place at the shelter houses
that were built thanks to the efforts of Jerry Gilpin. Sponsors
who made the shelter houses possible are: Holman Ready Mix, Bender
Lumber Co., The Friendship State Bank, Halcomb Home Center and
Gilpin Monuments. Jerry Gilpin thanked all those involved and
noted, We couldnt do it without all their help.
Mary Margaret Moorhead, widow of Gus Moorhead, was overwhelmed
as her late husband was honored. It made me want to cry,
she said of when she first saw the sign on ball field #2. Its
so nice, she noted.
Joyce Sutherlin Samples noted that her dad, Roscoe Lefty
Sutherlin, would have considered the field being named after him
quite an honor. She said he probably would have been
very surprised.
The Moorhead and Sutherlin families came together at the opening
day ceremony both with thankful hearts and remembrances of loved
ones.
Rev. Mike Cantrell of the Versailles First Baptist Church and
also a Versailles Lions Club member offered prayer before the
ceremony that only took about 20 minutes Saturday morning. Team
players were starting to come into the area as the ceremony took
place, giving it the feeling that some serious ballgames were
about to be played.
For the 2011 season there are 31 teams signed up, according to
Fields. She said the program now includes softball as well as
baseball.
For generations to come the efforts of Moorhead and Sutherlin
will be evidenced as boys and girls alike enjoy sports at the
complex in Versailles.
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WANDA
ENGLISH BURNETT PHOTOS
Pictured above, Larry Sutherlin threw out the first pitch
of the 2011 season as a field at the Tyson Memorial Sports
Complex was dedicated in his father's memory, Roscoe "Lefty"
Sutherlin. Below, Mary Margaret Moorhead holds the authentic
Cincinnati Reds baseball that had just been thrown on field
#2, by her great grandson, Brady Byrdwell. The field is
named after her late husband, Wm. "Gus" Moorhead.
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