Taggart Park’s New Era: City of Lock Haven Celebrates Renovations and Honors John Lipez with Field Dedication
By Emily Wright
LOCK HAVEN— Under sunny skies on the morning of Friday, July 11, 2025, residents, local leaders, and supporters gathered at Taggart Park on E. Park Street in Lock Haven for a ribbon-cutting and field dedication ceremony. The event was more than just the unveiling of new amenities at the park; it was a celebration of Lock Haven’s rich baseball heritage, community support, and one of its most well-known sports voices.
A crowd of roughly 50 community members and supporters attended the ceremony, a few of which included Lock Haven City Mayor Joel Long, City Council Member Steve Stevenson, City Manager Greg Wilson, Clinton County Commissioner Jim Russo, PA State Rep. Stephanie Borowicz, Director of Community Life Kasey Dumm, City Planner & Development Coordinator Abbey Roberts, City Building Code Official Cyndi Walker, members of Citizens Hose Company No. 5, and Eastside Fire Rescue Station 42. Sean Dale, owner of The Old Corner Grill and Bottle Shop, was also on hand, serving up hot dogs and cold drinks to attendees.
Mayor Joel Long opened the ceremony by acknowledging the Pennsylvania Department of Economic and Community Development (DCED) and the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) for their combined “$325,000 worth of investment” that made the park’s transformation possible. The improvements, completed in the summer of 2024, feature new dugouts, an additional batting cage, a handicap-accessible walking path and parking lot, renovated restrooms, and an upgraded concession building—all enhancements designed to ensure that youth baseball continues to thrive in Lock Haven.
“We are so thankful to our partners for working with us and investing that kind of money in the City of Lock Haven, especially at these times when funding sources are starting to dry up,” said Mayor Long. “We really appreciate the help from the state with the work that we did here.”
The baseball fields at Taggart Park are rich with history, and following his opening remarks, Mayor Long welcomed John Lipez to the podium. Lipez, a local veteran sportswriter, community figure, and lifelong champion of area athletics, shared the park’s storied past.
Speaking with warmth and characteristic wit, Lipez recounted his experience as a 13-year-old volunteer, helping with the field’s construction to transform what was once a “swamp” along Park Street, as he described, into the baseball field it would become. “There’s a great baseball history in Lock Haven that continues today at this park, and amazingly, I was around as a fledgling ball player 68 years ago to actually play a teeny, tiny role in its establishment. First, let me share just a little bit about how Lock Haven was on the forefront of organized youth baseball in the United States,” Lipez said.
He shared stories of memorable 1950s baseball games held at Taggart Park, highlighting Lock Haven’s proud place as one of the early adopters of organized youth baseball after the founding of Little League in nearby Williamsport.
Lipez paid tribute to the many individuals who shaped the early years—including Clinton County commissioners, coaches, athletes, and others—by sharing stories that illustrated the connections that were formed among generations of Lock Haven ballplayers. He recalled the very first game held at the park’s baseball field in June 1958, when over 150 hometown fans turned out to support the players, despite chilly temperatures and overcast skies. It was on that evening, Lipez reflected, that “A new chapter was written into the city’s baseball book.”
“There was a game about that time when the player for a rival team, his name Bud Neihart, attempted to catch a high pop-up at first base. Unfortunately, it came down and struck him in the nose, causing considerable bloodshed,” Lipez shared, eliciting laughter from the crowd. “Umpire Malinak, always hard nosed, came to check on the player, grabbed his nose, and said, ‘Yep, it’s broken.’ True story.”
Reflecting on some of his most memorable moments while on the baseball field at the park, Lipez recalled the 1959 Rotary Championship and his first American Legion home run over the right field fence. Years later, he had the opportunity to coach his son on the same junior league field, where, following in his father’s footsteps, his son also hit his first home run over the fence.
Lipez concluded with a heartfelt hope for the future: “What we have here today, 68 years later, is the next phase of the Junior League history for the next generation to create its own memories. I have a great-grandson who, tomorrow, will turn three,” he shared. “I’d love nothing more than to see him in another decade or so playing first base on the very same field as did his great grandfather and his great uncle.”
The ceremony was about more than just celebrating the new improvements to the park. In a particularly moving moment, Mayor Long announced the unexpected dedication of the baseball field at Taggart Park in honor of John Lipez.
“We wanted to take this opportunity to recognize an important member of the Lock Haven and the Clinton County community for the past several decades,” Mayor Long said. Highlighting Lipez’s longstanding commitment to local sports through broadcasting, photography, and writing, Long noted, “John has been a part of nearly every sporting event in our area. His legacy is not just about celebrating the wins, but calling out the exceptions, even in defeat. His reporting is personalized, highlighting players who gave it their all, whether they win or they lose. It’s giving it a try, putting in the effort that John has always celebrated.”
“John has not only spent decades supporting and promoting youth sports with his coverage, but he’s also spent time hands-on, coaching Little League, Junior League, and Legion baseball. Today, with the support of the city council and the Lipez family, we’d like to introduce John Lipez Field at Taggart Park,” Mayor Long announced as Kasey Dumm and Abbey Roberts unveiled a new sign for the field, officially renaming it John Lipez Field at Taggart Park. The dedication came as a complete surprise to Lipez, who had spoken to the crowd unaware that the field would be dedicated in his honor.
With family and well-wishers by his side, Lipez accepted the commemoration: “That brings it full circle—from [age] 13 to whatever I am now,” he joked. “Thank you ever so much; it’s wonderful that you would bestow this honor on me,” he said before reiterating his hope that one day he will get to watch his grandson, Hudson, play on the newly dedicated John Lipez Field at Taggart Park, just as he once did.
The event culminated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, where Lipez, alongside members of his family, had the honor of cutting the ribbon—officially marking a new beginning for what is now known as John Lipez Field at Taggart Park.
