Whatever minor inconvenience the development of Western Nevada Community College's baseball ballpark is causing right now will be more than worth it for local students and the community.
John L. Harvey Field is currently under construction and it's hoped that while it won't be completely finished, the ballpark will be ready in time to be used when the Wildcats begin fall workouts on Aug. 10 under coach D.J. Whittemore.
When legendary coach Ron McNutt began to cut back on his busy schedule and the Carson Capitols baseball team was disbanded after 2001, a big void was left for baseball fans.
That void will be filled by WNCC and John L. Harvey Field. First, WNCC will be a year-long program in which games will be played during the fall, spring and most assuredly during the summer.
Whittemore will most likely establish a summer traveling team affiliated with WNCC that will feature a combination of players already at the school and high school players being groomed for the college level.
John L. Harvey Field will also be a first-class facility with field turf, so when the season begins in February, WNCC should be able to play virtually all of its games no matter what the weather is. Harvey Field is a likely candidate to host top level American Legion tournaments during the summer and is a virtual lock to host the NIAA 4A State Championships when they are played in Northern Nevada.
Who knows? In the next few years, WNCC may be in line to be the home of an independent professional baseball team, with the fledgling Golden Baseball League fielding a team here a definite possibility.
For local fans wanting to watch high-level baseball right here in Carson City, Harvey Field will be the place to be.
