The Bragan Baseball Complex at Fort Family Regional Park has three new artificial turf baseball fields, clubhouse with concession stand and shaded bleachers. | Dan Scanlan, WJCT News 89.9
Published on February 23, 2024 at 2:19 pm
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A new baseball field complex aimed at bringing baseball to children and teens who can’t afford it was officially opened Friday at Fort Family Regional Park on the city’s Southside.
Funded by the city and private donations, the $7 million Bragan Baseball Complex and its three artificial turf baseball diamonds will host youth clinics as well as games, tournaments and baseball league play yearround, coordinated by Walk Off Charities.
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Jacksonville Jaguars and sports broadcaster Frank Frangie founded the charity to provide opportunities and access to baseball for 5- to 18-year-olds who want to learn or play. He worked with the city to craft this three-field baseball complex at the rear of Fort Family Park’s sprawling 52-acre site.
It resulted in a facility he calls “magical,” all aimed at getting baseball to children and teens in underserved communities. It’s a triple play for them and the city, he said.
“Our kids play here. All the leagues will be free; no kid will ever have to pay to play here,” Frangie said. “Tournaments from all over the South will come here; teams from all over the South will come and play in this thing because it is a state of the art complex. That helps from a tourist and hospitality standpoint. The third thing and most important is the revenues that come here are poured back into the inner city.”
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Peter Bragan Jr., whose family owned and operated the Jacksonville Suns minor league baseball team from 1985 to 2015, said he’s happy to have helped fund the facility to nurture the love of baseball in young people.
“I think it’s wonderful. I love the turf,” Bragan said. “I told Frank when he first started talking, and he’s big on the inner city, I said that I hope you develop a kid who comes out of there who’s another Willie Mays. But I’d like to see another Mickey Mantle too.”
Fort Family Regional Park is at 8000 Baymeadows Road E., just off Baymeadows Road and surrounded by apartment complexes. Bought by the city in 2002, it includes a tennis complex, pickleball courts, soccer fields, playground, pavilions and restrooms, with plans for a fishing pier.
The new Bragan Baseball Complex is at its west side. Its two smaller fields are able to host games from T-ball all the way through 12U as well as softball. The larger baseball field will be used for middle and high school games, summer ball games and any additional 13U-18U baseball games or events.
All of the fields have lush artificial turf from home plate to the outfields, with shaded bleachers and lights for night play. Shaded picnic tables sit on more artificial turf as part of its Corner Lot Cove, with a concession stand, offices and bathrooms.
Frangie said he grew up in an era of baseball that included greats like Hank Aaron, Joe Morgan, Reggie Jackson, Willie Stargell and Rod Carew. Back then, he said, Black players made up more than a quarter of all major leaguers. These days, Black players make up only about 7% of Major League Baseball’s roster, he said.
So Frangie began his charity seven years ago to get young people introduced to baseball within urban and underserved communities, helping upgrade existing fields at 10 parks in the inner city and Northwest as they host clinics, leagues and tournaments.
“We started Walk Off because kids can’t play baseball anymore — baseball is expensive; baseball has become a suburban sport,” he said. “We have put about 8,000 kids through our programs over seven years, and we are proud of that. And a facility like this helps us ramp that up a bunch.”
As a cold rain fell during Friday’s windy ribbon cutting, Mayor Donna Deegan said she was grateful that Walk Off is giving children the chance to play baseball and learn what she called valuable life lessons.
Calling the complex a gem in his community, District 11 Councilman Raul Arias said it is the first of its kind with artificial turf. And city parks director Daryl Joseph said he is so thankful for what he called a “beautiful facility.”
“I am thankful for Frank and the Walk Off charities team for the work they have already done here, and I am also thankful for the work you guys will do here as we move forward,” Joseph said. “One of the things we really talked about is making sure this park is activated, diverse and clean. So we are off to a great start, and it will only get better.”
Walk Off Charities worked with the city for three years on the $6.5 million facility, raising just over a half-million dollars to add grandstands and bullpens to it, and will partner with the city on its use, Frangie said.
The field complex will host clinics for beginners and experienced players, as well as a variety of leagues for players of all ages. It also provides basic sports equipment like gloves for players, as well as free lunch during clinics.
The new complex also will play host to several travel ball events throughout the year, with spring and fall recreation baseball programs and winter/fall baseball/softball camps.
