Spartans play ball on new Weiss Memorial Field
Published on April 10th, 2002
STONEHAM, MA – Over a year and a half ago Donna Weiss sat and contemplated to herself what she could truly and tangibly do to make the spirit of her late husband Saul live on.
At that same time, Superintendent of Schools Joseph Connolly and Stoneham High Principal Thomas Ryan also faced an intriguing problem. The High School was in dire need of renovation; from the pavement to the softball field, much needed to be done to present the school in a distinguished manner.
By chance, Donna called Ryan and presented her plan in memory of her husband. She spoke to Ryan of a substantially generous donation to the school to be used in a manner the school saw fit, but preferably in the some form of athletic benefit. After conferring with Connolly, Ryan spoke again with Donna and decided to put the money toward a new softball facility.
“I can’t tell you how excited they were when I told them about the donation,” said an excited Donna Weiss. “I was just so happy to be giving to the school that Saul loved so much. He always loved high school and going to class reunions..”
In the early 1960s what is now Stoneham High School, was not much more than grass grazing land for the animals sheltered by Weiss Farm. Cows and other farm animals would be escorted across Franklin Street and up to land which is now occupied by pavement, speed bumps, buildings and a variety of sporting fields. Of the many farm hands that helped run Weiss Farm was Saul, a young man who would eventually make his mark as a Spartan athletic icon.
By the time Saul made it to his senior year in high school the pasture of land he had become accustomed to was claimed by the Town by the law of eminent domain. Instead of herding animals and orchestrating them daily on that land, Saul found himself orchestrating pitch counts and wins as the catcher for the Stoneham varsity baseball team. Prior to the spring season, Saul was locked in front of the Spartans’ varsity hockey net as goalie. His dominant presence and utter refusal to allow a puck to go by him led him to the storied Boston University hockey team.
In the time between Saul’s graduation from the High School to the present, the softball field at the High School deteriorated. Football practice was held in between the two diamonds, causing ruts and divots throughout the outfields. There were no distinctions between the fields, no fences or warning tracks. Foul poles were barley visible. Never did the mere idea of a scoreboard gleaming down on the field cross the minds or budgets of those higher up in the school system. In a sense, softball was forgotten, put aside for other sports to prosper.
“I had heard that the field wasn’t very nice to play on for some time,” recalled Donna. “Now I hope this will be something the kids will be proud of. I know I am.”
Not only will the kids be proud, but in all likelihood, the whole town of Stoneham should be as well. The two new fields sport two dividing fences, a scoreboard, foul poles, dugouts, and brand new fencing, which encompasses the field and gives off the feel of a stadium separate from all other sports facilities on the High School campus. Because of Donna’s incredible donation and efforts toward the new fields much talk has sprung up of Stoneham being the host field for state softball tournaments.
Despite her generous donation and unbelievable unselfishness, Donna does not crave the limelight, or even the credit for that matter, of creating a new Stoneham attraction. Instead she’ll probably slip away from the flashing cameras and simply tuck herself into the bleachers to watch the Lady Spartans enjoy sports and their high school years much like her husband of 22 years did.
Stoneham High School was built on the very field that Saul once journeyed in order to tend to the animals of his family farm. And now, some 40 years later, thanks to Saul and his altruistic wife Donna, the Weiss name has helped to rebuild one of the most prestigious softball fields in all of Massachusetts.
The prominent memorial at the gates of Saul Weiss Memorial Field, also imagined and set into reality by Donna, will greet players and fans alike for years to come and remind all what a dedicated couple can provide for both the town of Stoneham and to each other.
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