The baseball field at Francis Wong Stadium officially has a new name to honor the legacy of James “Jimmy” Correa and the impact he had as the “Father of Hilo Baseball.”
Family and friends came together to celebrate what would be Coach Jimmy Correa’s 105th birthday with the official dedication of the James “Jimmy” Correa Ballfield at Wong Stadium in Hilo’s Ho‘olulu Complex on Saturday morning.
The initiative to name the field after Coach Correa came from a grassroots movement that amassed 1,000 signatures on a petition, which propelled the introduction of Bill 103 by Hawaii County councilmembers Sue Lee Loy and Ashley Kierkiewicz.
After a unanimous vote in County Council, the bill was enacted as Ordinance 24-3 by Mayor Mitch Roth and was significant in recognizing Coach Correa’s impact on baseball in Hilo.
“If you look at the great things we have here in Hawaii County, it is because of people like Jimmy Correa,” Mayor Roth said. “Hilo would be nowhere near the baseball town it is today if it wasn’t for Coach Correa.”
Coach Correa spent over 50 years coaching and mentoring generations of baseball players in Hilo, often teaching them lessons of life through the game. He inspired players to work together and found new ways to teach youth of all ages.
“Coach Correa taught the virtues of teamwork, of perseverance, of grit and of good sportsmanship. He was there to celebrate when his teams won, and was there to help them move through the losses,” Kierkiewicz said. “He was a coach, a mentor and a guide who taught players not only the technical skills of excelling on a baseball diamond, but also the importance of responsibility and respect.”
Through his decades of coaching in Hilo, Correa was often joined on the ballfield by his eight children, all of whom were present for the dedication ceremony on Saturday.
“Today I have seen people I haven’t seen in years, which is beautiful and what this whole thing is about,” said James Correa Jr. “I want to thank everyone for their support and our distinguished guests who helped ensure that the ballfield was named after my dad. He had a legacy and it came from his heart and spirit, and now the ballfield is officially home.”
In a further tribute to Coach Correa’s legacy, state Rep. Chris Todd secured a $1 million state appropriation, which was then matched with a $1 million contribution from the county, which was secured by Lee Loy.
Todd could not make the ceremony, but state Rep. Richard Onishi read his written statement about the importance of improving the ballfield and enhancing the experience of current and future athletes.
“The Ho‘olulu Complex is the center of our community. Every single person growing up in Hilo has precious memories from the complex,” Todd said in his statement. “As a football coach, some of my best memories are in the outfield of the stadium. We want to enshrine this place and do everything in our power to make sure this is a facility to be proud of.”
During his remarks, Onishi announced that the James “Jimmy” Correa Ballfield will be getting artificial turf, making it the first county facility with a full turf field.
The announcement was a welcomed surprise for guests since artificial turf will be easier for teams playing on Hilo’s rainy days and will better accommodate Hilo High football and baseball.
The field will also become the permanent location for University of Hawaii at Hilo baseball games, according to Onishi.
“We were all elated to hear about the potential funding for the field, and this is so great for the safety of our kids,” said Ellen Iida, Correa’s oldest child and daughter. “This has really been so nice and we’re all thankful this field is officially named for our father.”
During the blessing, Jimmy Correa’s family of children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and more stood on the ballfield together to honor his impact as a pillar to the community.
His legacy is now part of Ho‘olulu Complex along with that of other local leaders who influenced the community, such as Edith Kanaka‘ole, Dr. Francis Wong, Ung Soy “Beans” Afook, Richard Kiyoshi “Pablo” Chinen and Sally Kaleohano.
“All of the time he spent coaching children, his service in the military and building his family–Coach Jimmy Correa was contributing to the community long before Hawaii was a state and long after,” Lee Loy said. “It was a perfect fit to have one more pillar of the community right here in Wong Stadium for the Father of Hilo Baseball.”
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com