Amazin’ Mets Foundation latest contribution will renovate baseball field in Flushing Meadows Corona Park

The Amazin’ Mets Foundation announced it is contributing more than $445,000 to renovate Baseball Field #10 at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.

The private-public partnership will provide local youth with a high-quality baseball field to enjoy, and compliments the Amazin’ Mets Foundation’s youth baseball initiatives, including Sandlot Stars and baseball and softball clinics.

“The Amazin’ Mets Foundation is committed to supporting our neighbors in Queens and expanding access to the sport of baseball,” said Alex Cohen, president of the Amazin’ Mets Foundation. “We are proud to sponsor the renovation of Baseball Field #10 at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. We hope that the renovated field will provide hours of fun for children in the communities around Citi Field.”

Led by The LandTek Group, the renovations to Baseball Field #10 began on Monday, May 1, and are projected to be completed in the summer of 2023. Some of the upgrades will include full infield renovation, a new irrigation system, adding a drainage system, and new fencing and concrete. The renovations will also ensure Baseball Field #10 is ADA compliant.

“This investment gives our young Queens athletes another safe and accessible place to play ball, nurturing the next generation of New York baseball talent right in Citi Field’s backyard, Flushing Meadows Corona Park,” Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue said. “With our hundreds of baseball diamonds citywide, NYC Parks is proud to support young athletes as they hone their baseball skills, practice teamwork, and build character, and we are so grateful to the Amazin’ Mets Foundation for their commitment to youth baseball in Queens and across New York City.”

Pete Flynn, the late Irish-born legendary Mets groundkeeper at Shea Stadium and Citi Field would have shuddered at the state of Baseball Field #10 in Flushing Meadows Corona Park and now, the Amazin’ Mets Foundation is going to fix it. (Courtesy of the Amazin’ Mets Foundation)

(Courtesy of the Amazin’ Mets Foundation)

Since its inception in 2021, the Amazin’ Mets Foundation has funded over $5 million in grants to over 100 organizations in the community to help strengthen programs geared toward hunger relief, youth development, and community services.

“The Amazin’ Mets Foundation is committed to making a lasting impact in our community and a difference in the lives of people in need,” Cohen said. “We are proud to inspire change and support the important work of non-profit organizations in Queens and the greater New York City area.”

In recent weeks, Cohen cut the ribbon marking the opening of the new $5 million Cohen Family Wellness Center in Woodside, operated by The Child Center of New York based in Forest Hills. The Amazin’ Mets Foundation also arranged a bedside visit by former Mets reliever Turk Wendell at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center where 22-year-old rookie cop Brett Boller, of the 103rd Precinct in Jamaica, was recovering from several life-saving surgeries after he was shot in the line of duty.

The Foundation arranged a bedside visit from former star Turk Wendell to cheer up rookie cop Brett Boller last month after he was shot in the line of duty in Jamaica.Courtesy of Amazin’ Mets Foundation)

When Steve and Alex Cohen took ownership of the New York Mets in early November 2020, the billionaire hedge fund manager became the richest owner in Major League Baseball. He also declared a strong commitment to giving back to the Queens community in his first press conference as an owner.

“It’s an important part of being involved with a baseball team, the community cares about it, and we care about the communities,” Steve Cohen said. “We’re going to investigate and find out things that are worth backing and provide support for them. We look forward to that.”

They created the Amazin’ Mets Foundation as the team’s philanthropic arm which strives to provide much-needed resources and opportunities to underserved communities.

“It’s beyond the words of the mission. It’s about the work we will do,” Alex Cohen said of her Foundation. “We’re committed to inspiring philanthropy and community service by creating awareness, offering guidance, and leading by example to show the world what giving can do.”

To read more about the Amazin’ Mets Foundation, its programs, and upcoming events, and to learn about ways to give back, visit its website here.