This Saturday, the Loveland Baseball Association will pause its regular schedule to celebrate a milestone that has shaped the town’s sporting landscape for five decades.
Fifty years ago, five visionary men came together to form the association and construct the Centennial Baseball Complex, a facility that was intended from the start to give youngsters a safe, dedicated place to play the game.
The project was born out of a collective effort: the city of Loveland contributed the land, which had once been the municipal dump, and local businesses and professionals answered a call for donations. Bus Tarbox, one of the original founders, secured the necessary financing by rallying prominent citizens, while Gary Shelley took charge of the groundwork, coordinating a workforce made up largely of volunteers.
Their work transformed a neglected site into a cornerstone of community recreation, a place where generations have learned the fundamentals of baseball and built lasting friendships.
Honoring the Founders
The upcoming championship games will serve as a living tribute. Both Tarbox and Shelley, still active members of the community, are slated to attend the ceremony, where they will be recognized on the field, shake hands with players, and distribute commemorative coins that mark the occasion.
Shelley, reflecting on the half‑century journey, said he feels a deep sense of pride in what the association has accomplished and in the legacy that continues to inspire young athletes.
Erik Sethre, the current board president, has been instrumental in preserving the complex’s operations over the years, ensuring that the spirit of volunteerism that launched the project remains vibrant.
The story of the Loveland Baseball Association is not just about a building; it is a testament to a community that chose to invest its time, money, and goodwill in a shared dream, a commitment that has kept the fields alive for half a century.