Harry Dallara Foundation Holds Grand Opening of Dallara Ball Field at Harmon Field

On September 5th, 2020, the Town of Tryon, the Harmon Field Board of Supervisors, and the Harry Dallara Foundation officially opened the new Harry Dallara Baseball Field. Watch the unveiling of the Harry Dallara statue and the presentation of a plaque of the Tryon All-Stars.

Video: Grand Opening of Dallara Baseball Field

Press Release from the Tryon Daily Bulletin:
(Click here to read on Tryon Daily Bulletin’s Website)

On a beautiful late summer morning in Tryon, NC the Harry Dallara Foundation held a successful and historic Grand Opening of the Harry Dallara Ball Field. A moving Invocation was given by Bruce Camber to open the proceedings. The program featured a keynote address by Bobby Richardson, the former All-Star New York Yankees second baseman, as well as special remarks by Tryon Town Mayor Alan Peoples and Chairman of the Harmon Field Board of Commissioners, Stephen Nelon. A statue of Harry Dallara, a WWII veteran who played hundreds of games on this field, along with a plaque honoring the 1949 Tryon All Stars, were both unveiled.

Gordon Hamilton, a Director of the Foundation, explained the significance of the plaque honoring the Tryon All Stars, a team of young Black athletes who had never been allowed to play at Harmon Field throughout their lifetime.

Adrian Dallara, grandson of Harry, shared his personal reflections about the harmony between honoring Harry Dallara and the Tryon All Stars on the same field. Harry Dallara grew up in the Bronx and had himself experienced ethnic discrimination. He was, therefore, unswervingly in support of equal opportunity for all.

Another highlight was Denny's corporation providing a generous contribution to the Foundation in support of the Foundation, its goal of promoting access for all youth to a wonderful new athletic facility and, in particular, of honoring the Tryon All Stars.  The presentation was made by April Kelly-Drummond and was accepted by Charles Dallara and Sam Foster, special advisor to the Board and a distinguished South Carolina athlete.

The event was attended by approximately 75 guests despite the restrictions relating to the Covid pandemic. Special arrangements were made to ensure social distancing during the event. Due to Covid, many supporters of the Harry Dallara Foundation were unable to join the event in person. Two Directors of the Foundation, Bill Cummings and Peixin Dallara, read letters of congratulation from a number of distinguished global citizens and Foundation Board members.

The event displayed for all the guests the many impressive features of the renovated ball field , including outfield grass with an irrigation system and installation of infield grass (the first in Polk County); ball field fencing and bleachers; dugouts covered in shade cloth; an electronic scoreboard; and a new plaza built around the Harry Dallara statue and a special baseball insignia created at the base of the Tryon All Stars plaque.

It was an especially poignant moment when Keenysia Young, great-niece of Jimmy Young of the Tryon All Stars, threw out the first pitch, symbolizing the new page of community and equality which had been turned in the history of Tryon.  Additional opening pitches were thrown by Oumar Koume, great-grandson of Harry Dallara and Charles Dallara, who was accompanied to the mound by Bobby Richardson.

It was also especially noteworthy that following the opening pitches, Joel Booker, one of Tryon's own native sons, held a clinic for 15 diverse young boys and girls from the Tryon area which was then followed by a 3-inning game. Joel is a rising star in the Chicago White Sox organization. The game ended appropriately in an 11-11 tie. Below are select photos from this special day and a video which captures the entire day.

An outstanding barbeque lunch was served courtesy of Jeff Hodges and Holden's Ranch of Spartanburg. Music was provided throughout by DJ Ryan Pflumm of Spin NC which featured baseball themes and Frank Sinatra.

The Project

With significant funding coming from the Harry Dallara Memorial Foundation—an IRS approved charitable fund established with gifts from family, friends, and other foundations and maintained through tax deductible contributions—we propose to enhance Ball Field A at Harmon Field in such a way as to honor memory of our loved one while creating a family oriented facility adjacent to the rear-most baseball field, thereby benefitting all those who visit Harmon Field. As we currently envision it in concept, the proposed amenities will include a professionally landscaped area just beyond the left field fence, consisting of trees and shrubs, tables and/or benches for family gatherings.

As the plan begins to take shape, we will seek additional funding for special projects from local and regional sources, thereby providing opportunities for the Tryon community to participate in what will truly be a community endeavor.

Another area, located just behind home plate, will include new bleachers, a dugout, landscaped walkways, and more seating. At the center of this area will be a commissioned bronze statue of Harry hitting a baseball—in a pose inspired by a photograph taken of him playing ball at the age of 92. The statue will be designed to convey Harry’s love of life, of baseball, and, of course, Harmon Field.

It is our hope that Harry’s example, this sculpture, and these improvements will further enhance the role that Harmon Field has played in this community for decades: to inspire family and community activities—which bring out the best in everyone. If we are successful in that effort, we can change lives for generations to come.

Visually integrating the two areas of the park will be a stone sidewalk extending along the third base line between the existing fence and parking area, as well as to the concession area in the other direction. To enhance the connection further, local natural stone similar to that used at the entrance of the complex will be used throughout the new park: in walls, benches, and walkways, as well as in large tones strategically placed as architectural accents and barriers against motor vehicles. We hope that, by extending the natural rustic appearance of the entrance, a design theme will be created for future additions to Harmon field, giving it a sense of both unity and strength. 

As a part of our commitment to honoring an individual who loved both Tryon and Harmon Field, we consider it a privilege to recognize others who—because of the social customs of the times—were unable to fully enjoy the resources of the area. For this reason, we propose to add an additional element to the project designed to honor the Tryon All-Stars, a semi-professional African-American baseball team organized in 1940s. Although the All-Stars were unable to play at the then segregated Harmon Field, they brought considerable recognition to the Tryon area.

Therefore, we propose to include a bas-relief sculpture, located at a prominent place within the complex and based on a historical photograph of the team, as a part of our project. Our purpose here is multi-faceted: (1) to inspire all athletic teams—regardless of ethnicity—to take advantage of the resources available at Harmon Field— and (2) to become an example for other sports facilities to offer true equality for its citizenry.  Born into the multi-ethnic community of The Bronx, Harry Dallara would welcome the recognition of the these talented young men.

To build on this initiative, the Harry Dallara Foundation remains committed to working with local and regional business and civic organizations to promote both African-American and other multi-ethnic participation in the opportunities that Harmon Field has to offer.

In order to ensure the long-term preservation of both the ball field and the new additions and enhancements, we plan to endow additional funds for maintenance and upkeep of the new facilities, as well as that of the ball field and electronic scoreboard. In conjunction with the aforementioned enhancements, we are proposing that the two areas that make up the project, along with the baseball diamond, be named Harry Dallara Baseball Park. By including the field and scoreboard in the project, we hope to play a part in ensuring that future generations can enjoy the enhanced facility for years to come. Our goal for this project is to enhance the athletic and family-oriented resources at Harmon Field, to enrich the lives of the citizens of Tryon, and to honor an individual who loved both.