Rogers/Thames/Welch Baseball Center To Be Dedicated
10/4/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Rogers/Thames/Welch Baseball Center To Be Dedicated
The Rogers/Thames/Welch Baseball Center, which has been in use since Aug. 2001, is named in honor of the major donors, Charles "Bubba" and Sharon Rogers, Clay and Cindy Thames, Scott and Diane Thames and Nick and Gigi Welch, who gave $600,000 of the $800,000 cost of the building.
"We are indebted to the Rogers, Thames and Welch families for making our new state-of-the- art Baseball Center a reality," Giannini said . "The facility is equal to any in the country and we are most thankful to these families and others who have contributed to the building."
The Baseball Center, a 6,000-square foot facility adjacent to the first base side of the park was funded totally by private donations. It provides state-of-the art facilities, including a team locker room, training room, players' lounge, an area for equipment storage and distribution, a laundry area, as well as coaches? offices and dressing areas for coaches and umpires. There is also a large lobby area at the entrance of the building, displaying the history and tradition of the baseball program. Southern Miss broke ground in Nov. 2000, the foundation was laid in December, the walls and roof were completed in January, and the building was in use in August.
?The Southern Miss baseball program is grateful to all those who have donated toward the Baseball Center, especially the Rogers, Thames and Welch families for their gracious donations to make this facility a reality,? sixth-year Southern Miss Head Coach Corky Palmer said. ?The Baseball Center is a much-needed addition to our excellent stadium, making our total complex one of the finest in the south. We have already seen how this outstanding facility has enhanced our recruiting efforts in the last two years. We continually strive to take our program to the highest level of collegiate baseball and this facility plays an important role in those goals."
Other donors to the project include, Dorrance and Carolyn Aultman, Keith and Deborah Barrett, Charles Burchell, Mr. and Mrs. Charles V. Cullefer, Ronald and Barbara Fairley, Cecil "Sonny" W. Farrar, Jimmy Farris, Dr. and Mrs. Lewis E. Hatten, Mr. and Mrs. Herman R. Herrin, Allen G. Holder III, Paul H. Holmes, Gary R. King, Mike and Dianne Land, Ronnie and Alicia Lee, W. Lloyd Lunceford, Louis C. Magee, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Marshall, Brad and Gretchen Martin, Mr. and Mrs. Greg Moore, Mr. and Mrs. J. Douglas Munn, Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Reece Nunnery, John and Beth Palmer, Dr. and Mrs. Joseph S. Paul, Mr. and Mrs. Larry Payne, George E. and Sherry W. Rasco, Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Rogers Jr., Ronald and Monica Russell, Herschel and Elizabeth Shattles, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth B. Shearer, Richard Wyatt Simmons, Wronal Q. Simmons, Mr. and Mrs. Ray A. Sims, Mr. and Mrs. Donald M. Smith, Philip and Charla Smith, Dr. Donna C. Stewart, Drs. Jon and Christy Thornton, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Willoughby, Buddy Winstead, Krandall Howell - Howell Inc., Lance Computer Systems, Inc., Mid-South Golf, LLC, Southern Bone and Joint, Joe Robison - Robison Tire and Leslie Rutland - Rutland Lumber Co.