A double header and a football scrimmage were cancelled by unseasonable rain on Saturday September 21, but that didn’t stop more than 250 people gathering at the new expanse of green at MLK Jr. Way and Derby in Berkeley to witness the dedication of the new Tim Moellering Field.
Moellering was the much-loved Berkeley High teacher and coach who died in 2011. Construction on the field began more than a year ago. The field is designed principally for use by the athletics programs at Berkeley High and Berkeley Tech.
Once the heavens had opened, the crowd moved inside to the BTECH auditorium next door.
There, friends remembered Moellering’s dedication to his students, many of whom were in attendance. Mayor Bates addressed the group and read a proclamation, and the gathering ended with a rousing singalong of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” followed by chargrilled hot dogs and hamburgers.
According to Grier Wiggins, who was in attendance, Moellering had been advocating for a Berkeley High baseball field since 1992. “Tim’s dedication to young men led to his becoming a surrogate father,” he said. “Everyone here was Tim’s family.”
Watch the entire ceremony on two videos produced by BUSD’s Mark Coplan, below:
Ted Friedman contributed reporting to this story.
Related:
The It List: 5 things to do in Berkeley this weekend [09.20.13]
Derby Playing Fields set to open for baseball season 2013 [06.11.12]
BUSD to spend Lonely Island $250K on theater programs [06.02.12]
A Berkeley field of dreams close to reality after 15 years [04.04.12]
Call for baseball field to be named after late Tim Moellering [01.21.11]
