July 19 was another stellar day for baseball in Muenster, and not only because it was the opening day of the 15U Provincial Tournament. As part of the opening ceremonies, the field at Diamond Jubilee Park, home of the Muenster Red Sox, was officially named James Korte Field.

The news was delivered in front of packed stands with all of the tournament's players having been marshalled onto the field. James Korte has been a tireless worker for baseball in the province, and especially dedicated to the evolution of the field which bears his name. Korte is a past-president of the Saskatchewan Baseball Association and was inducted into both the Humboldt sports Hall of Fame and in 2001 into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame. He served for many years as coach and manager of the Muenster Red Sox Senior Team and has been actively engaged in supporting baseball at all age levels in the community

His wife, Janice Korte, laughed that the field may as well have been their back yard given the countless hours James spent tending to the grass, planting the ivy on the outfield fence, and nurturing the many improvements that made the field take shape into one of the province's finest baseball facilities. That vision culuminated in the completion of the pole shed concession and viewing area and securing stadium seats from Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium.

The honour was engineered by Muenster resident Joel Taphorn with the support of the Muenster Sports Club and the Village of Muenster. Korte was presented with the handcrafted metal sign, soon to adorn the gates of the stadium, by Muenster Mayor Scott Davis, Ron Hinz and Dan Sylvestre. The extended Korte family was in attendance. While many knew that James Korte was to receive recognition, few of them know of the dedication of the field making the event especially heart-warming.

Following the presentation, James threw heat as the opening pitch to his grandson, Adam Korte, catcher for the 15U Muenster Red Sox.

Korte's love of baseball and his love of community will ensure he is a fixture at the field for many years to come.