MANSFIELD — Jack Soliday learned his lesson the hard way.
Never challenge Ray Peterson.
It was the summer of 1970 and Soliday was making his semi-pro debut against Farmer’s Bank at Liberty Park. The hard-throwing 19-year-old retired the first two batters he faced when Peterson strode to the plate.
“They told me you can’t get a fastball by Peterson and I was mostly a fastball pitcher,” Soliday recalled. “So I thought I’d fool him. First pitch, hanging slider.
“It landed on Davids Lane over there and rolled probably to (U.S.) 30.”
It was one of several entertaining anecdotes recounted on a sun-soaked Saturday afternoon as the recently-renovated baseball field at Liberty Park was dedicated in Peterson’s honor.
(Photos from the dedication on Saturday of Ray Peterson Memorial Field at Liberty Park in Mansfield. The story continues below the photos.)
A crowd of 100 or so gathered behind the backstop of Ray Peterson Memorial Field and shared laughs and tears as they remembered Peterson, who passed away last September at the age of 82.
“This is just an absolutely amazing day for the Peterson family and for his friends and teammates,” said Judy Peterson, Ray’s wife of 61 years. “It would mean so much to him.”
Judy was a baseball fan even before marrying Ray in 1963.
“I really think that’s the reason that Ray chose me, because I loved baseball,” she said. “Those were the days. We made so many memories and friends and a few foes.”
The couple had two sons, Ed and Rob, who grew up at Liberty Park. Rob Peterson played baseball professionally in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and today is the superintendent for the Madison Local School District.
“My dad would be so honored today,” Rob Peterson said. “He had a passion for baseball and a heart for Madison.”
A 1959 Madison graduate and four-year letterman, Ray was drafted by the Detroit Tigers after an All-Ohio senior season for the Rams.
His parents, Lewis and Helen, decided he wasn’t ready for the rigors of professional baseball, so 17-year-old Ray accepted a scholarship to Ohio State instead.
He returned to his hometown after college and began a long career as a semi-pro player at a time when the city was home to several high-level teams and players.
By all accounts, Peterson was the best among them.
Before Denny Kidwell joined the Farmer’s Bank team, he pitched against Peterson for New Washington.
“The first game I played for New Washington was against Farmer’s Bank at this field. I had never pitched against Ray, but I knew of his reputation,” Kidwell said. “The third baseman, Dick Shell, who was also the coach of the team, came up to the mound as Ray was coming up to bat and he said, ‘This is Ray Peterson. Don’t throw him an inside fastball.’ ”
Former Madison athletic director JIm VanTilburg agreed.
“It was kind of exciting watching Ray Peterson play, but it wasn’t real exciting when I got older and played against him because he was so dog-gone good,” VanTilburg said. “I’ve never seen a better hitter in this area than Ray Peterson — by far the best I’ve ever seen.”
When he finally retired as a player, Peterson was a wildly-successful manager of Mansfield’s McVey Post American Legion team. He piled up more than 700 wins in 30-plus seasons.
Many of those wins came at Liberty Park. It was only fitting the field was named in his honor.
“The New York Yankees had ‘The House That Ruth Built,’ ” former teammate Tom Moloney said. “We rightfully have ‘The House That Ray Built.’
“It’s our field of dreams right here in Mansfield and you could not select an individual who is more deserving of the honor.”