Entering the Marionville city limits sits the Comet’s small class high school with a brand new addition.
“It was great to have something that nice for us,” said Marionville junior baseball player Gary Smith.
For the first time ever, the softball and baseball teams do not have a home field at the city park. The programs now have on-campus turf fields with the exact turf used on their football field and at Plaster Stadium.
“There’s nothing any finer in the state of Missouri, particularly for a Class 1A school,” said former Marionville Comet (’57) and Missouri State hall of famer Bill Rowe. “Those are things that don’t just happen, you have help to get it done.”
After a bond passed, Rowe donated towards the athletic facilities.
“It was a great opportunity to do something,” Rowe said. “That entire community is going to feel the result of this for years. I did it on behalf of our teammates, the classmates, the teachers, faculty and staff they had over the years because they made a difference in not just my life but my two sisters.”
Over by the baseball field, his generosity doesn’t go a day unnoticed.
“I think it was just very well deserving in regards to naming this field after him,” said Marionville Athletic Director Paden Grubbs. “Everyone will always drive up and see ‘Bill Rowe Field’.”
The former Missouri State baseball coach and athletic director threw out the first pitch at the field’s debut.
“I caught it so it was pretty cool to catch a pitch from Bill Rowe,” Smith said.
These improvements are a big win for the community, especially for the players.
“They’re proud to represent this,” Grubbs said. “Hopefully it gives them a little extra motivation as far as time and effort and putting in time in the weight room and putting in time to master their crafts.”
