The Phase One completion of a multi-million-dollar Dodgers Dreamfields complex in Compton was unveiled recently, coinciding with the 74th anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball’s color line with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947.
The project at Gonzales Park—a training ground for numerous professional baseball players—features three fields with new playing surfaces, fencing, dugouts, irrigation upgrades, lighting, paint, and scoreboards. It is the largest Dodgers Dreamfields project.
Field 42, named for the uniform number Robinson wore with the Dodgers, is designed for baseball and softball players ages 5 to 8. Rachel Robinson Field, named for Jackie Robinson’s wife, is designed for baseball players ages 9 to 12 and softball players 9 to 18.
Jackie Robinson Stadium was designed for baseball players 13 years old and older and for college play. It includes new safety netting from Dodger Stadium and a refurbished grandstand area with new railings, foundation, and walkways.
Kershaw’s Challenge Training and Fitness Zone, named for Dodger pitcher Clayton Kershaw’s charity, has two batting cages, two bullpens, a practice infield, and outdoor fitness equipment.
In partnership with Science of Sport and Edison International, the Los Angeles Dodger Foundation’s Science of Baseball outdoor classroom will introduce the science, math, and physics of baseball to everyone using the facility.
Its programs are funded through private donations and various fundraising events. Team finances are not used.
The foundation has pledged to complete 75 fields by 2033, the 75th anniversary of the Dodgers’ move to Los Angeles.
