A baseball field in Detroit's Woodbridge neighborhood reopened today with a $1.8 million makeover courtesy of the UAW and Ford.
The field was renamed the William Clay Ford Field in honor of the late Ford Motor executive and Detroit Lions owner. The renovations include pitching and batting cages, new bleachers, a new digital scoreboard, landscaping, lighting and restrooms.
The late Ford's son, Bill Ford, attended the reopening along with his mother, Martha Firestone Ford. Bill Ford said the tribute was fitting because his father was an athlete.
"This couldn't have been a more perfect event to honor him," Ford said. "One of the reasons he loved sports was because he felt sports was a great equalizer. It didn't matter where you came from or what your name was; if you were good and you were talented and you worked hard, you would succeed."
The UAW-Ford partnership donated the money for the renovations as part of ongoing efforts with community organizations, including the Woodbridge Community Youth Center, to strengthen neighborhoods where members live.