Fixing The Lakewood Lip: New Agreement Promises Ball Field Work

LAKEWOOD, OH — The familiar ricochet of the baseball, as it rolls toward the outfield and clips the mound of dirt where diamond meets grass, has long been known as the infamous "Lakewood Lip."

The ball would hit the lip and fling into the air, often catching unaware fielders in the face. Injuries abounded. Players and parents alike came to dread playing at Jimmie Foxx Memorial Baseball Field, and their pleas for better ground crews often went unanswered — in large part because it was unclear who was responsible for the fields.

A new understanding should fix that...and eventually fix the lip too.

The Lakewood Board of Education and Lakewood City Council approved a written understanding outlining responsibilities for maintenance of baseball fields and pools throughout the city on Tuesday. The city and school district previously had a verbal agreement on caring for the fields, which left gaps in care, according to parents.

“This new agreement provides the clarity that was lacking for decades between City Hall and the Lakewood City Schools / Lakewood Recreation on where each party would be responsible for specific maintenance and capital needs,” said Lakewood Mayor Meghan George. “I’m excited that we can now move forward and ensure that we meet our standards for excellence in Lakewood and provide the level of quality at our fields that everyone in Lakewood expects and deserves.”

Live in Lakewood? Click here to subscribe to our free breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and download our free mobile app on Android or iPhone.

The Jimmie Foxx Memorial Baseball Field at Kauffmann Park was singled out as being in particularly bad shape, having gained notoriety for the "Lakewood lip," one parent told Patch.The new maintenance agreement would smooth the lip out, according to school district officials.

Here are some highlights of the agreement:

• The city will fund infield upgrades at Jimmie Foxx Field in Kaufmann Park and George J. Usher Field in Madison Park. Upgrades will be completed before the 2022 season.
• The city will repair and recrown one of the six fields in Lakewood each year, selecting a field on a rotating basis.
• City and school district officials will meet annually to agree on which field will be address in the offseason.
• The Lakewood Schools will contribute $20,000 annually to maintenance work and the city will pick up any other costs.

Read more: Lakewood Baseball Fields In Disrepair, Parents Say

“We are pleased that our administrative team and the Board of Education were able to work together with Mayor George and city officials to resolve these longstanding issues,” said Superintendent Maggie Niedzwiecki. “We look forward to being able to provide the community more quality programming through our Rec and Athletic Departments now and in the future. Our Community Recreations and Education Commission will be engaging with the community to gather feedback on programming wants and needs.”