BERKELEY-Mayor Carmen Amato said it’s time Berkeley Township thanks the Leiter family for all of their contributions to youth baseball in town over the years.
“As you know, the Township has been working collaboratively with Berkeley Little League and former major league pitcher Al Leiter on transforming Leiter Field in a state of the art Baseball facility,” Amato said. “The Leiter Family has made an additional contribution to BLL while the township provided the architecture and engineering designs along with some additional safety bleachers and dugout benches. We will also be providing some additional fencing as well. The construction is well underway with New dugouts, concrete walkways and a two story scorers booth with equipment room.”
Berkeley Township Mayor Carmen Amato.
It was Al’s initial $100,000 donation in 1998 that enabled the township to build Leiter field that eventually sparked a baseball renaissance in the town that empowered everyone to work together to make that the complex it is today.
“The Leiter family has shown true dedication to Berkeley Township Little League from its participation in the organization, to its continued efforts to promote and support little league within the Township,” Amato said.
All five Leiter sons played for the Berkeley Township Little League, from 1967 through 1982, totaling sixteen consecutive seasons a Leiter played baseball on a baseball field in Berkeley Township.
The Leiter family has donated countless hours and has provided financial support to improve and continue little league within the Township. Amato said the Leiter name is virtually synonymous with baseball in Berkeley Township.
“In recognition of all of the contributions of the Leiter family to the Township and little league,” he added. “It is my recommendation to the Township Council to officially honor the family and to rename the Moorage Avenue baseball park the ‘Leiter Baseball Park’, in recognition of the Leiter family’s contributions to this community.”