Memorial Day dedication honors Collins, Reed
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO — Monday was the type of day all baseball players dream of. The sun was shining, fans were in the stands, and two of its greatest ambassadors for the Hillsboro community were honored and remembered on Memorial Day 2011.
As the park is named after Richard "Dick" Shaffer, now the two original fields are forever known for the other two original commissioners of the park, Frank "Squeak" Collins and Dan W. Reed.
Family members of Frank Collins said this was the best Little League park for many miles around. You would have thought this was a big-city park, instead of a small town. It was way before its time.
"Dan was a coach and worked through Rotary," his wife, Phyllis Reed, said. "He was the PR man. Dick Shaffer was the coach and handled the teams. Squeak Collins handled the money, and Dan got some of the signs.
"It was a hobby to Dan. We ran an insurance business here in town, but this was his hobby. He'd be honored about this day."
Before the games began, current director of Shaffer Park Bruce T. Davis spoke about the two men and what they meant to the community.
"We were supposed to have this last Monday, but I think it is kind of fitting it was postponed to today, Memorial Day, which they say is a time to reflect and to thank those who gave us our freedoms in this country, and we'll also extend that to what we have here at the ballpark."
The Pony League field was named in honor of Collins, and the A-League field was named for Reed.
"He lived out here," daughter-in law Ramona Collins said of Frank Collins. "Every evening, from the time we closed the store up, he would be out at the ballpark. He loved everything about baseball."
Nephew John Barney talked about Collins the day before the event was held.
"Squeak did a lot for the ballpark ... but it was the things he did that people don't know about that makes him a special person. He would help kids that were not as fortunate as others with things that most kids take for granted. He cared deeply about the youth in our community."
In a prepared statement from Collins' family, which was read over the PA speaker by Davis, they thanked everyone for the recognition for all the time and work Collins did to help get the ballpark running.
The family also stated baseball was in his blood, and he was very proud of the ballpark.
"He was so very proud of this park," the family statement said. "He would close the store, rush home to get a bite to eat, and hurry to the ballpark to watch all the games and chase foul balls. This was five nights a week and on Sunday afternoons if the Legion team was playing."
According to Shaffer Park history, teams moved to the current location in 1961 when the Highland County Chamber of Commerce bought the land, where there was just one set of bleachers, and the only restroom was an outhouse near the creek. In 2011, Shaffer Park has seven diamonds for baseball and softball, with numerous concession stands and facilities.
"A lot of the credit goes to the original three," Davis said. "They were appointed by the city to get this started and run it. Each of them were here for decades, and we want to show our appreciation for all the work they did.
"Not many realize why things are or how things got to where they are today, and I'd like someday for someone to look at the scoreboard and say 'Who is Dan Reed?' Or, 'Who is Frank "Squeak" Collins?' and somebody would know they are the reason kids are able to play ball out here now."
Asked why Reed did so much for the ballpark, the answer was simple.
"He was a baseball player in Cincinnati when he was younger. He came to Hillsboro his freshman year of high school, so he was a ballplayer himself. He loved teaching the little kids, and teaching the little kids to swing the bat and not just stand there," Phyllis Reed said.
"Dan just wanted them to play. Whether they played good or bad, he just wanted them to play. He wanted them to play as a team and to have fun. He taught the basics of a ball game."
His son, Dan D. Reed, said, "He always taught us when the ball is hit to you, what do you do? Before every pitch, you were taught if the ball is hit to you, what are you going to do with it?"
Collins and Reed worked behind the scenes.
"At the time, we were establishing our insurance business, and he spent more time at the ballpark then he did with our insurance business," Phyllis Reed said. "He loved people.
"At the time, the park didn't have any money, so he talked to Dick and Squeak and told them about a ball game he watched from Cincinnati and they had all this advertising, and he thought that was a good idea. So he went to local business and got them to buy signs … they were maybe $10 a sign to paint the fences. That's how they first got money for the park."
Davis talked more about the behind-the-scenes work both men did.
"I'm probably one of the few people who know all they have done for this park," he said. "They gave great effort and time to this park. It was time for them to get recognition for their work."
Both families had some final comments about the entire day.
"We are very honored, and appreciate it," Phyllis Reed said.
"We, his family, want to thank (everyone) for this occasion. We know that he is smiling down on us," the Collins family said.[[In-content Ad]]
As the park is named after Richard "Dick" Shaffer, now the two original fields are forever known for the other two original commissioners of the park, Frank "Squeak" Collins and Dan W. Reed.
Family members of Frank Collins said this was the best Little League park for many miles around. You would have thought this was a big-city park, instead of a small town. It was way before its time.
"Dan was a coach and worked through Rotary," his wife, Phyllis Reed, said. "He was the PR man. Dick Shaffer was the coach and handled the teams. Squeak Collins handled the money, and Dan got some of the signs.
"It was a hobby to Dan. We ran an insurance business here in town, but this was his hobby. He'd be honored about this day."
Before the games began, current director of Shaffer Park Bruce T. Davis spoke about the two men and what they meant to the community.
"We were supposed to have this last Monday, but I think it is kind of fitting it was postponed to today, Memorial Day, which they say is a time to reflect and to thank those who gave us our freedoms in this country, and we'll also extend that to what we have here at the ballpark."
The Pony League field was named in honor of Collins, and the A-League field was named for Reed.
"He lived out here," daughter-in law Ramona Collins said of Frank Collins. "Every evening, from the time we closed the store up, he would be out at the ballpark. He loved everything about baseball."
Nephew John Barney talked about Collins the day before the event was held.
"Squeak did a lot for the ballpark ... but it was the things he did that people don't know about that makes him a special person. He would help kids that were not as fortunate as others with things that most kids take for granted. He cared deeply about the youth in our community."
In a prepared statement from Collins' family, which was read over the PA speaker by Davis, they thanked everyone for the recognition for all the time and work Collins did to help get the ballpark running.
The family also stated baseball was in his blood, and he was very proud of the ballpark.
"He was so very proud of this park," the family statement said. "He would close the store, rush home to get a bite to eat, and hurry to the ballpark to watch all the games and chase foul balls. This was five nights a week and on Sunday afternoons if the Legion team was playing."
According to Shaffer Park history, teams moved to the current location in 1961 when the Highland County Chamber of Commerce bought the land, where there was just one set of bleachers, and the only restroom was an outhouse near the creek. In 2011, Shaffer Park has seven diamonds for baseball and softball, with numerous concession stands and facilities.
"A lot of the credit goes to the original three," Davis said. "They were appointed by the city to get this started and run it. Each of them were here for decades, and we want to show our appreciation for all the work they did.
"Not many realize why things are or how things got to where they are today, and I'd like someday for someone to look at the scoreboard and say 'Who is Dan Reed?' Or, 'Who is Frank "Squeak" Collins?' and somebody would know they are the reason kids are able to play ball out here now."
Asked why Reed did so much for the ballpark, the answer was simple.
"He was a baseball player in Cincinnati when he was younger. He came to Hillsboro his freshman year of high school, so he was a ballplayer himself. He loved teaching the little kids, and teaching the little kids to swing the bat and not just stand there," Phyllis Reed said.
"Dan just wanted them to play. Whether they played good or bad, he just wanted them to play. He wanted them to play as a team and to have fun. He taught the basics of a ball game."
His son, Dan D. Reed, said, "He always taught us when the ball is hit to you, what do you do? Before every pitch, you were taught if the ball is hit to you, what are you going to do with it?"
Collins and Reed worked behind the scenes.
"At the time, we were establishing our insurance business, and he spent more time at the ballpark then he did with our insurance business," Phyllis Reed said. "He loved people.
"At the time, the park didn't have any money, so he talked to Dick and Squeak and told them about a ball game he watched from Cincinnati and they had all this advertising, and he thought that was a good idea. So he went to local business and got them to buy signs … they were maybe $10 a sign to paint the fences. That's how they first got money for the park."
Davis talked more about the behind-the-scenes work both men did.
"I'm probably one of the few people who know all they have done for this park," he said. "They gave great effort and time to this park. It was time for them to get recognition for their work."
Both families had some final comments about the entire day.
"We are very honored, and appreciate it," Phyllis Reed said.
"We, his family, want to thank (everyone) for this occasion. We know that he is smiling down on us," the Collins family said.[[In-content Ad]]