Hamilton Hosts State High School Baseball and Tennis Tournaments in June

Upgrades in Hamilton’s Veterans
Park are beginning to pay dividends as two high school state tournaments are
set to begin in June.
From June 2nd through 4th,
the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) state high
school boys tennis tournament will take place in Veterans Park.
While on June 9th and 10th,
Bob DeMeo Memorial Field in Veterans Park will host the NJSIAA state high
school baseball tournament.
“Investing in our parks and
facilities is an investment in our local economy; and we are confident that our
local hotels, restaurants, retail and growing number of family-friendly,
recreational establishments will reap benefits from the many visitors that these
tournaments will bring,” says Hamilton Township Mayor Kelly Yaede.
During the past several years,
Hamilton Township upgraded the majority of its 32-court tennis area in Veterans
Park, sections at a time. In the past, Veterans
Park hosted the Burlington County high school tennis tournament, as well as the
overall state high school tennis tournament.
Similarly, upgrades to Bob DeMeo
Memorial Field in Veterans Park were critical to attracting the state high
school baseball tournament to Hamilton.
DeMeo, a Hamiltonian and Steinert High School baseball alum, was a
prospect in the Philadelphia Phillies minor league organization who later
became the Phillies triple-A affiliate manager. Tragically, DeMeo was killed by
a drunk-driver in the early 1980’s, when the baseball field in Veterans Park
was named in his memory. Following
upgrades that included reseeding the grass field, installing new bleachers,
fencing and a scoreboard, the field was rededicated by Mayor Yaede and Township
officials last year.
Beyond the tennis court and DeMeo
baseball field upgrades, Hamilton Township also renovated Cowell Soccer Field
over the past two years. As part of the upgrades, the Township completely
reseeded the grass to improve the playing surface, brought in portable soccer
goals and surrounding field wind screens, installed new player benches, an
official scorekeeper’s area, a new field score board, a sound system and new
elevated bleachers that can accommodate larger game crowds with new accessible
seating. In addition to soccer games,
Cowell Field also hosts field hockey and lacrosse games.
The late Albert L. Cowell was a
World War II veteran, who greatly contributed to area youth athletics,
specifically in soccer. In April,
Hamilton rededicated Cowell field before a spring collegiate soccer scrimmage
between Rider and Rutgers universities.