Andrew Benintendi, a Major League Baseball outfielder and 2013 graduate of Madeira High School, has turned his hometown pride into a concrete project. He is helping to fund a $500,000 initiative to upgrade the city’s baseball field, aiming to give young players a venue that matches the excitement of a ‘Field of Dreams.’
The upgrade plan includes new dugouts, modern fencing, and state‑of‑the‑art scoreboards. Local parents, led by Dave Hyland, have already secured more than $220,000 through community drives, while the school district previously invested in a synthetic turf surface two years ago. Together, these contributions are reshaping the field into a hub for aspiring athletes.
A hometown investment
Benintendi’s involvement is not just financial. He is celebrated locally for his game‑saving catch in the 2015 ALCS, a moment that helped the Boston Red Sox clinch a World Series. That play cemented his status as a role model for kids who grow up watching the sport on the same diamonds he once patrolled.
Nate Hyland, a current Madeira baseball player, says it is ‘amazing’ to see his idol supporting the team. ‘Having someone like Andrew step up shows that the community’s dreams are taken seriously,’ he notes, emphasizing the ripple effect of the investment on youth participation.
The project also builds on recent improvements, such as the newly installed turf, which was funded by the school district. With the combined efforts of donors, alumni, and the players themselves, the field is poised to become a lasting legacy for Madeira’s baseball culture.