LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The community answered a call for help from a Louisville youth baseball league whose fields were plagued by human feces and needles, posing a risk to the kids who play there.
The Portland Baseball League plays at the Lannan Park baseball fields in the Portland neighborhood, but the fields are in desperate need of upgrades, such as improved dugouts and new lights.
"They have to sweep the things with needles before their kids are allowed to play on the fields," said Mike Mulrooney, founder of Shirley's Way.
The baseball fields are now a top priority for many across Louisville.
"We just discovered that our dugouts had been kind of overrun, trash and other really unsanitary things were in the dugouts," said Joey Hightower, president of the Portland Youth Baseball League.
Hightower went looking for help, and that's when he connected with Mulrooney.
"This place is beautiful, but it needs some lipstick I guess you could say," Mulrooney said.
He and Shirley's Way agreed to redo the roofs on the dugouts, give them a new paint job and put locks on them.
"They'll be locked so people can't get in and do drugs and hide out in the dugouts," said Mulrooney.
They also gave the league a fridge and an ice machine so they can reopen the concession stand. They're also helping to renovate an abandoned field.
"So this field in particular has really become like our field of dreams," Hightower said.
The field, once home to tee-ball, will be once again by adding a third field that will help with the influx of players. Shirley's Way is sponsoring 150 kids to play for free.
"I'm hoping that brings kids out of these neighborhoods to come out and really play," Mulrooney said.
Since that announcement, Hightower said 130 kids have signed up to play in the spring, compared to 50 last season.
"There's an energy and a buzz right now around the league, and we just continue to be grateful for all of the help that we're getting," said Hightower.
Councilwoman Donna Purvis has also allocated $10,000 to get new dirt for the fields, and several local organizations are working to get new bleachers to replace the ones that were stolen. Now, it's time to get everything ready for next spring.
"It's gonna be a great season, we're gonna have a lot of extra innings here at this park for hopefully many generations to come," Hightower said.
Copyright 2026 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
