CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — You don’t have to look far to find someone who knows where Mary Lou Patton Park is located. That’s probably because it’s been host to youth baseball in Ross County for the last 60 years. I recently had the chance to sit down and chat with league commissioners John Davis and Mike Beatty, and it was a conversation I won’t soon forget. These 2 gentlemen have a history with the ballpark going back to 1962 when they played in the newly-formed Scioto Valley Little League.

Originally formed in 1960, the league began playing games at Mary Lou Patton Park in 1961. The ballpark wasn’t always known by that name, though. From 1961 until the early 70s, it was known as the Scioto Valley Little League Park. In the early 70s, an elaborate deal involving land trades and negotiations with the city landed the league more acreage and a lifelong lease of the property from the city.

Fast forward to the spring of 2021 and the Scioto Valley Youth League is celebrating 60 years of baseball in Chillicothe. Today there are 12 organizations, each made up of three different teams. C-ball is for ages 6-8, B-ball is ages 9-10, and A-ball is made up of 11-12 year olds. This year, for the first time, T-ball is being played also. The park also hosts a softball league during spring and in the fall they host a flag football league and fall baseball league. Through the teams involved in all these programs, they estimate there are close to 1500 kids involved at the ballpark.

In our conversation it was pretty obvious the ballpark is special to these guys, and there seems to be a common thread among the coaches, board members, and volunteers. It’s all about the kids. Mike said,  “We try to make it a place that is safe and fun for the kids. We want it to be safe.”

The league even prices their concession stand items reasonably so that kids can afford to get a snack. When asking John about his time at the ballpark he said, “I loved playing baseball as a kid and I look back and remember all the people that made it possible.” That is what inspired him to join the board in 1989. “I wanted to give back and do my part so kids can keep playing baseball.”

Speaking with Mike and John, they wanted to mention that none of the league’s success would be possible without the endless hours of hard work and dedication from volunteers and sponsors over the years. Three names they mentioned frequently — Zeb Ginther, Ruby Jenkins, and Bill Sullivan — still have a presence at the ballpark. As you walk through Mary Lou Patton Park, you will notice the three main ball diamonds – Ginther Field (B-ball diamond), Jenkins Field (C-ball diamond), and Sullivan Field (A-ball diamond), each paying tribute to the original “founding fathers” of the league.

When speaking of the success of the league, John wanted to give a shoutout to league president Dean Brown and league vice-president Eric Beam. “They do a fantastic job down here and they put in a lot of behind-the-scenes work that most people don’t know about,” said John. Mike wanted to thank the groundskeeper, saying, “Our groundskeeper does a great job keeping the park looking nice.” John and Mike said the league thanks all the businesses which donate and make it possible for kids to play baseball. They also wanted to thank all the coaches, parents, and other volunteers who put in so many hours preseason getting the park ready for the season. Lastly, the league would like to thank the City of Chillicothe for all that they do to help keep the park beautiful.

The 2021 SVYL season marked a large milestone, celebrating 60 years of baseball in Chillicothe. This year’s opening day was a special one. The family of the league founder and original league president, Zeb Ginther, was in attendance. Zeb’s son, Mike threw out the honorary first pitch.

To learn more about the league and ways to get involved, you can find them online or on Facebook.

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