Tag Archives: pro baseball

Big League Baseball Sort of Comes to Las Vegas

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar B. Goodman, Mayor Pro Tem Gary Reese and Clark County Commissioner Larry Brown all were on hand recently to praise the new baseball sports park as a world-class attraction for local and visiting ballplayers and families. 

“Big League Dreams (BLD) is a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility that raises the bar for baseball and softball in the city of Las Vegas,” Goodman said. “Las Vegas is known for having the best entertainment, hotels, restaurants and shopping, and now we also have the best ball fields.”

 BLD owners and representatives included former Los Angeles Dodgers star Bill Russell, a BLD consultant. 

“This is our 10th Big League Dreams Sports Park, and it’s a great fit for Las Vegas,” Russell said. “We know that this park, even more than our others, will attract visitors from all over the country.” 

BLD includes six fields designed for youth baseball and adult softball, two sports-themed restaurants, an indoor field house for soccer and other activities, batting cages, playgrounds and an area for picnics and private parties. 

BLD is operating and maintaining the sports park in a public-private partnership with the city of Las Vegas. The 35-acre Big League Dreams is part of the city’s upgrade of its 68-acre Freedom Park on the city’s east side. BLD has a 30-year maintenance and operations agreement with the city, covering all expenses related to the sports park at no cost to the city, which shares gross revenue from the complex. 

Big League Dreams is at 3151 E. Washington in Las Vegas. Their website is www.BigLeagueDreams.com

Leave a comment

Filed under entertainment, Las Vegas, news, sports, Uncategorized

Sports Illustrated Las Vegas Baseball Star Bryce Harper Slotted for ESPN Show

Former Las Vegas High baseball standout and Sports Illustrated cover athlete Bryce Harper will be featured on an episode of the ESPN network sports magazine “E:60.” 

The profile will deal with Harper’s controversial decision to forgo his final two years of high school to play at the College of Southern Nevada next season. 

The show airs at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, August 11.

[Las Vegas Backstage Access has written prior articles on Harper. Please use search feature.]

Leave a comment

Filed under entertainment, Las Vegas, news, sports, Uncategorized

Babe Ruth Baseball Protégé — a Las Vegas Teen!

Bryce Harper is only a 16-years-old Las Vegas kid, but he plays baseball like he is already been a pro big leaguer for years. 

The phenomenal Las Vegas High School sophomore baseball player catches, pitches, hits monster home runs andBryceHarper turns baseball diamonds into his own playground.   His versatility of playing anywhere on the baseball field is what sets him apart from other players. 

Harper hit .626 with 14 home runs and 55 RBIs this past season.  Forty-five of his 72 hits went for extra base.  He also stole 36 bases. 

And the home runs we’re talking about are of the towering 570-foot variety- and that started when he was just 15.  He doesn’t just throw at 96 mph, but has a killer curve ball and change-up as well. 

Harper is a one-man baseball team.   

While he is only 16, he’s projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2011 pro baseball draft, the first year he’ll be eligible. 

Harper announced that he has registeredat the College of Southern Nevada, where he plans to plans to play next season and get his GED to speed the pro baseball draft eligibility.

Now the whole world will learn what Southern Nevadans already know.  Harper is on the cover of the June 8 edition of Sports Illustrated.  Next to the picture of Harper taking a swing are the words “Chosen One.”   In slightly smaller print, the magazine proclaims Harper “The Most Exciting Prodigy Since LeBron (James of the Cleveland Cavaliers professional basketball team). 

Major league baseball teams from all around the country send so many scouts to the Las Vegas High School Wildcat games that, at times, it looks like a convention. 

Responding to this mounting recognition, Harper just takes it in his daily stride, calmly saying, “I just need to get better.”

1 Comment

Filed under entertainment, Las Vegas, news, sports, Uncategorized