Seats at Eaton Field hold Wakefield fans through life’s wins and losses

WAKEFIELD, Neb. (KOLN) - In Wakefield, Nebraska, people can catch a ballgame in seats that used to be in stadiums where the New York Yankees played, the Texas Rangers, the Chicago Cubs and the Kansas City Royals. These seats are just some of the special features at Eaton Field.

"Because there's people in Wakefield that'll never get to a Major League stadium," said Paul Eaton, who helps take care of the facilities. "I think it's motivational to say, 'I'm sitting in the seats where Willie Mays played baseball.'"

Paul Eaton coached just about every sport for 57 years, winning 18 state baseball titles with the American Legion Pot 81 team. His father helped build the field that was established in 1943, and his daughter was even married there.

"My dad always said this was a great park because if you're sitting by somebody that was boring you to death, you could get a bag of popcorn and relocate and they'd never find you," joked Eaton with an ornery grin.

Over the decades, community members collected seats from over a dozen MLB stadiums, including some from the Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha.

An Eagle Scout even set up a spot for military members who are missing in action or prisoners of war.

"The military's a big thing around here," Eaton said. "We're pretty patriotic in Nebraska, I think."

But veterans aren't the only ones memorialized at this ball field. So is Lefty Olson.

Olson played as a first baseman, until he was paralyzed in an accident returning from an American Legion baseball game. He then went on to serve as Wakefield's mayor for 20 years, and he even convinced Governor Ben Nelson to declare Wakefield the "Baseball Capital of Nebraska" in 1996.

From flower planters to plaques, the park holds the names of families and even ball players. A tournament is held in memory of Max Greve, a 21-year-old who died in a work accident in 2010.

"And he was just like me, kind of ornery and... hell of a ball player," said Steve Greve, Max's father.

Greve lives two blocks from Eaton Field. He tends his son's memorial, as well as the rest of the ballpark.

"That's why I try to keep this up as good as I can," Greve said. "I say, 'Why don't you give me three of the little things that you think we need, and I'll do it."

The seats at Eaton Field hold the community through great losses, but also wins.

"(Fans) spend a lot of time here, and they had grandkids and some even have great-grandkids playing here now," Greve said.

The field is a part of a long legacy of turning pain into purpose. It sits within Graves Park, which was founded in 1881 by philanthropist Philo Graves. He and his wife Alta are responsible for building Wakefield's first school, cemetery, library and five church congregations.

The park formed when Philo started planting walnut trees. Since then, it's become a peaceful place for healing.

"He and his wife lost three children at ages four, five and seven," Eaton said. "They made the library as a memorial, but then the park is kind of a memorial to the rest of them. But you know if you lose three kids, then think about how they started building a park. It's pretty amazing."

The town started the Graves Park Forever Fund to ensure the area is always taken care of. Together, volunteers and families have built a playground, a pee wee field, a field for the softball team, batting cages, a practice pitching mound and so many other projects.

It's built on the backs of volunteers who raise money and improve this place that feels like home.