Gene Bottorff Memorial Field
Built: 1973; Rededicated: 1988
"I always thought as long as I could eat and sleep, I'd be coaching baseball."
- Gene Bottorff
- Gene Bottorff
Gene Bottorff: The Man
Gene Bottorff Memorial Field, 2010
A high school coach for 25 years before retiring in 1982, Thomas Gene Bottorff spent the final 12 years at Central High School, where his teams compiled a record of 216 wins and 117 losses (.649).
Bottorff’s teams won eight sectionals, two regionals, one semistate championship (1976) and three North Central Conference titles.
Bottorff was inducted into both the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame and the Delaware County Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988.
The Central baseball facility — largely the end result of a lot of his hard work — was named for Bottorff in June 1988.
He was a native of Cortland, Ind., and spent three years in the U.S. Army before enrolling at Indiana University, where he graduated in 1957.
He coached basketball and baseball at DeMotte, Orleans, Monroe Central and Milan before coming to Central as head baseball coach and assistant basketball coach in 1970.
While at Monroe Central, Bottorff’s basketball teams won sectionals in 1965 and 1968.
After his retirement, Gene and his wife, Pat, became active in the Gideons International and joined the Wandering Wheels at Taylor University in Upland, Ind.
Bottorff’s younger brother, John, served two years as Indiana secretary of state.
Bottorff, who died in July 1988, was survived by his wife, Pat, two sons, Tom and Craig, and his daughter, Cheri Huffer.
Bottorff’s teams won eight sectionals, two regionals, one semistate championship (1976) and three North Central Conference titles.
Bottorff was inducted into both the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame and the Delaware County Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988.
The Central baseball facility — largely the end result of a lot of his hard work — was named for Bottorff in June 1988.
He was a native of Cortland, Ind., and spent three years in the U.S. Army before enrolling at Indiana University, where he graduated in 1957.
He coached basketball and baseball at DeMotte, Orleans, Monroe Central and Milan before coming to Central as head baseball coach and assistant basketball coach in 1970.
While at Monroe Central, Bottorff’s basketball teams won sectionals in 1965 and 1968.
After his retirement, Gene and his wife, Pat, became active in the Gideons International and joined the Wandering Wheels at Taylor University in Upland, Ind.
Bottorff’s younger brother, John, served two years as Indiana secretary of state.
Bottorff, who died in July 1988, was survived by his wife, Pat, two sons, Tom and Craig, and his daughter, Cheri Huffer.
Gene Bottorff: The Coach
From the outset, Gene Bottorff Memorial Field has widely been regarded as one of the more beautiful high school ballparks in the area. Perhaps this was no more apparent than in a May 1976 piece from Muncie Evening Press columnist Jerry Fennell, who wrote:
“Bottorff and the Bearcats are really proud of their new ball field in back of the Central building and it’s worth a trip to see it. Brand new dugouts, bleachers and a beautiful job of landscaping have made the field a showcase just like the new Central building.”
Bottorff was also profiled in a June 1976 column from Muncie Star sports editor Bob Barnet in this clip:
"Always working!"
(Central athletic director) Merrill Hole has high praise for Bottorff and his dedication to his sport and his teams. Gene was assistant basketball coach as well as head baseball coach through the last basketball season but has given up the basketball chores and will continue his activities in baseball and his social students and physical education classes.
Central's diamond, located near the nigh high school, is only three years old but is one of the finest in the area and Hole insists that most of the credit belongs to Bottorff.
"He's always working out there," Hole says. "He's there on Saturdays and Sundays and holidays and any other time he can find a few hours. We try to give him student help whenever possible but the credit for the condition of that diamond belongs to Gene Bottorff. If we had to pay him by the hour for all the time he volunteers we wouldn't be able to afford him."
This kind of devotion, coupled with much coaching skill, has enabled Bottorff to give Central baseball teams of the caliber of those put together in the past by Carl Adams and other talented and hard-working Bearcat coaches. High school teams play more games than was the case a few years ago and a record for most victories was sure to come for that reason.
Carl Adams and other Bearcat baseball coaches will be happy to join this sports editor in a sincere salute to Gene Bottorff and a mighty fine baseball team.
“Bottorff and the Bearcats are really proud of their new ball field in back of the Central building and it’s worth a trip to see it. Brand new dugouts, bleachers and a beautiful job of landscaping have made the field a showcase just like the new Central building.”
Bottorff was also profiled in a June 1976 column from Muncie Star sports editor Bob Barnet in this clip:
"Always working!"
(Central athletic director) Merrill Hole has high praise for Bottorff and his dedication to his sport and his teams. Gene was assistant basketball coach as well as head baseball coach through the last basketball season but has given up the basketball chores and will continue his activities in baseball and his social students and physical education classes.
Central's diamond, located near the nigh high school, is only three years old but is one of the finest in the area and Hole insists that most of the credit belongs to Bottorff.
"He's always working out there," Hole says. "He's there on Saturdays and Sundays and holidays and any other time he can find a few hours. We try to give him student help whenever possible but the credit for the condition of that diamond belongs to Gene Bottorff. If we had to pay him by the hour for all the time he volunteers we wouldn't be able to afford him."
This kind of devotion, coupled with much coaching skill, has enabled Bottorff to give Central baseball teams of the caliber of those put together in the past by Carl Adams and other talented and hard-working Bearcat coaches. High school teams play more games than was the case a few years ago and a record for most victories was sure to come for that reason.
Carl Adams and other Bearcat baseball coaches will be happy to join this sports editor in a sincere salute to Gene Bottorff and a mighty fine baseball team.
Recent field improvements
Bottorff Field has underwent some massive improvements in the past couple seasons, and more are expected in the coming years.
Among the major changes include:
Among the major changes include:
- An in-ground sprinkler and water-hose system installed the infield. This is expected to be extended into the outfield in the not-so-distant future.
- A complete re-shaping of the infield, pitcher's mound and home-plate area. This eliminated the lips developing around the base cutouts and put life back into the infield area — especially down the base lines.
- Brand new dugout benches and helmet racks, thanks to the craftsmanship of longtime Bearcat supporter Dave Gard.
- New infield dirt and top dressing, which can absorb much more water.
- Brand new windscreen and distance markers for the outfield fence.
- A complete reconstruction of the concession stand area, complete with new equipment, counters and cabinets.
- A new sound system — speakers and console — for the stands.
- Landscaping -- including shrubs, mulch and new walkways -- surrounding the Gene Bottorff Memorial Field bench outside of the first-base dugout.
- A brand new inning-by-inning scoreboard, courtesy of a generous donation by Pat Bottorff.
- And last, but certainly not least, our Bearcat Wall campaign.
Gameday Crew
TBD
