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Council steps up to plate to create home for baseball team

Sean Shackley, head coach with the Belfast Northstars baseball team, Jose Santos, head coach with Belfast Bucs baseball team, Dr Christopher Stange, Consulate of St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Johnny Craven, head coach with Angels Softball, at the opening of Northern Ireland's first dedicated baseball field, at Hydebank playing fields. Picture by Cliff Donaldson 
Sean Shackley, head coach with the Belfast Northstars baseball team, Jose Santos, head coach with Belfast Bucs baseball team, Dr Christopher Stange, Consulate of St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Johnny Craven, head coach with Angels Softball, at the ope Sean Shackley, head coach with the Belfast Northstars baseball team, Jose Santos, head coach with Belfast Bucs baseball team, Dr Christopher Stange, Consulate of St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Johnny Craven, head coach with Angels Softball, at the opening of Northern Ireland's first dedicated baseball field, at Hydebank playing fields. Picture by Cliff Donaldson 

AFTER two decades of lobbying, hard work and false dawns, baseball players have finally welcomed the official opening of a striking new sporting facility.

Belfast's first bespoke baseball diamond was launched on Saturday at Hydebank playing fields.

Teams from the north, England, Scotland and the Republic joined the celebrations at the Ulster Open Baseball Tournament.

The new field, the first of its kind in the north, was built by Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) for a ball-park estimate of a few thousand pounds.

It will be the home of the Belfast Northstars, which was formed in 1996 and led a nomadic existence in its early years. The new Ulster Buccaneers club will also pitch up there.

After moving from base to base in its first 10 years, the Northstars called Henry Jones playing fields in Castlereagh home between 2006 and last year. Baseball Ireland league games had to be hosted on football pitches, however.

The former Castlereagh Borough Council had agreed to step up to the plate and agreed to add baseball-specific structures including a permanent pitcher's mound, cut-out bases and fencing.

Work had even begun but was halted when the facility was passed over to the new Belfast City Council during the local government shake-up in 2014.

After switching to Hydebank, which is run by LCCC, the plans were resurrected.

There are similar facilities in Dublin, Greystones in Co Wicklow and Ashbourne in Co Meath.

It is hoped that having a permanent home field dedicated to baseball will help develop baseball further in the north of Ireland.

The new baseball diamond was opened through a sports diplomacy initiative with technical advice and guidance lead by Dr Christopher Stange of the Consulate of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to Northern Ireland.

The chairman of the council's leisure and community development committee, Alderman Paul Porter, unveiled a plaque to officially open the much anticipated baseball facility.

"I am extremely proud that this facility is not only a first for the Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council area but also for Northern Ireland. The council is committed to offering a diverse range of sports and most importantly providing a platform to encourage everyone to get active and try something different," Mr Porter said.

"The baseball diamond is an excellent addition to the wide range of leisure and community facilities operated by the council. It provides a high-quality space where teams can practice and compete, promote development within both sports, host international tournaments and increase tourism to the area. I anticipate that this facility will spark further interest in both, baseball and softball, which at the moment, are ever growing.

Dr Stange commended the council and all involved in bringing the initiative to fruition.

"This first of its kind facility, unites both local and newer communities, many hailing from North America, Caribbean, South America, Asia and the Pacific, where baseball and softball are either national or main sports," he said.