Crossville Court News
THPA MEMBERS COMPLETE PAVILION
A Horseshoe Pavilion has recently been completed in the City of Crossville’s (TN) Centennial Park. This pole barn type building is 164’ long and 56’ wide and has 12 clay courts with otherwise solid concrete floor.
The THPA held the 2005 State Singles tournament at this site although a third of the metal roof was not in place. Fifty nine pitchers participated. Crossville’s Mayor opened the tournament and welcomed all to Crossville.
The excavation preparation was begun by the City in early March 2005 and the last screw was put in the roof in mid October. The total cost of this facility is estimated at $150,000 although the City has spent about $70,000 with Crossville’s Bob Hassan donating $28,000 of this $70K. Hassan was there for every day of the construction and Pikeville’s Bobby Fields was there most days. Jo Ann Stanford from Celina (1½ hours from Crossville) donated a great deal of time and effort beginning in March with wiring rebar for the footers to being the main help with putting up the 2x4 stringers for the roof. Lancing’s Bob Griffith, Crossville’s Garo (GB) Swicegood and Pikeville’s Irv Detweiler were “main men” on this project. It is estimated that $70K worth of labor was volunteered.
The trusses were set by crane in mid August. On this day about 20 folks volunteered including THPA members Woody (DW) Story from Mt Juliet (100 mile drive), Paula Hunsicker (THPA President from Springfield - 130 miles away), Jeff Birchfield (Lancing), Bob Young (Kingston), Bill Neal (Fairfield Glade), Roger Kenyon (Fairfield Glade), and Allon‘s Jack Conner. Hassan got his neighbor Dan Gleason to work this day as well as members of his Senior Softball team (Crossville’s Ed Seely, Bill Harris and Bill Wiren) and his table tennis buddies (Pikeville’s Dan Colvard & Lake Tansi‘s Mike Camacci).
Along the way many others helped. LaFollette’s Frank Jones was there several days (100 mile drive to Crossville) as well as Hank Irwin from Chattanooga. Shannon and Herb Foster (Chuckey) helped with putting metal on the roof the evening before the State Singles Tournament. Crossville’s Elmo Cox spent 3 days just before the tournament painting the foul lines on the floor. Crossville’s Dewayne McGuire and Earl Wyatt helped with placing the OSB on some of the trusses. White Pine’s Harold Morgan (110 mile drive) spent a couple of days helping with X brace construction (Harold threw the first pitch in the pavilion although the stakes and clay weren’t in the pit then).
Many City employees pitched in also (their time wasn’t calculated in the cost figures). The inspectors helped pouring the concrete footers. They did the excavation and some of the Parks employees helped with the truss setting project. Kevin Oakes from the City Engineers office oversaw the whole project, ordered materials and spent many, many hours working with us.
Thanks to all these folks who drove many miles and donated time to make this pavilion a great place to pitch. Phase 2 is now being planned which will winterize a portion of the building and get some permanent lighting installed. The THPA has donated $6,000 for this phase. Six sanctioned THPA tournaments will be pitched here in 2006 plus the TN State Doubles in October. It is hoped to begin an annual national tournament in 2006.
