ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Orangeburg's Mirmow Field turns 75 this year. The field is home to the Claflin University Panthers' baseball team and the Orangeburg American Legion Post 4 baseball team.
Marty Kinard, the deputy director of the Orangeburg Parks and Recreation Department, said although change had to be made, Mirmow Field has character.
"At other fields, you don't see these wooden bleachers; you don't see the concrete and the press box up top, the brick wall, which is now padded; you don't see that anymore, and so that's some of its historic value," said Kinard. "Now, with modernization, we had to take away some of that."
In the past few weeks, upgrades made to the field include electricity in the locker rooms, a fresh coat of paint for the exterior walls , installation of fencing to the dugouts, a new warning track for safety, and wall padding to accommodate NCAA requirements.
The improvement costs had a $200,000 price tag from the capital project tax fund in Orangeburg.
Kinard said he hopes that these upgrades will inspire young athletes to pick up a bat.
"Over 75 years, baseball has been huge in Orangeburg, and we've seen a downtick in that in parks and rec," said Kinard. "And so for us, we hope that the youth can see this park and say, 'Hey, one day I want to play American Legion at that park,' because at least I know how that's how I was."
By the end of the summer, Mirmow Field will have new stadium seating from Capital City Stadium in Columbia to replace the wooden benches.
Duane Henderson plays baseball at Claflin University and said these improvements bring him a sense of pride.
"It makes us want to win even more. It's like now we got something to play for. It's not a drag when we come to the field," said Henderson. "Like we actually want to take care of our field and take pride in what we have."
Kyle Hawkins, who plays baseball at Claflin University, said the history of his home field is not lost on him.
"When you feel when you walk through, you know, they have their little signs of and everything of all the players that use to play here, and it's different, you know," said Hawkins. "You get a sense of pride when you're playing here. You know what you're standing on, and you know what you have to do."
Claflin University Panthers baseball season begins at home with a doubleheader Sunday at 1 p.m. against Morris College.
The Parks and Recreation Department is fixing the playing surface and adding canopies and windscreens to the recreational park in preparation for this summer's Diamond Youth Baseball World Series.