Andrew Grimm SPECIAL PRESENTATION - Steubenville dedicated the baseball field at the Crimson Complex to long-time head coach Fred Heatherington on Saturday morning in a special ceremony at home plate, officially naming the field the Fred Heatherington Baseball Field.

For more than four decades between being a player and coach, Fred Heatheringon was part of Big Red baseball.

After Saturday morning, his legacy will continue to be a part of many more generations of Big Red baseball.

In a ceremony at home plate prior to the regular season finale, Steubenville welcomed back the legendary long-time coach and officially named the baseball field at the Crimson Complex the Fred Heatherington Baseball Field.

“It’s a great honor,” Heatherington said. “It could not have been done without the players, the support of the administration and the support of the parents. If you don’t have those three, you’re not going to be successful. We had those three and that’s why we were successful.

“I want to thank the superintendents, Dr. Keenan, Rich Ranallo and Melinda Young; board members Greg Agresta,Ruth Ann Bruzzese, Matt Davis, William Hendricks and Tom Timmons; coaches Stacy, Morrison, Pierro, Banks, Darin, Petrelle and all of varsity and reserve coaches who gave their time.

“When the players believe in process and you have the support of the Administration and parents, then Success will follow.

“Thank you to the people who have watched over me my whole career, my parents Fred and Nancy, sister Debbie and uncle Joe, my family – wife Cindy and sons Darin and his wife Samantha and Mason.”

There were a lot of familar faces around for the ceremony, several former Big Red players and coaches returned to be on hand.

“If it wasn’t for them, this wouldn’t be possible,” Heatherington said of his former players. “Nothing can be done individually in a team sport so this great honor is very much appreciated and humbling.”

The current Big Red baseball team, many of which played for him last season before he retired and are led by head coach Justin Banks, who played for and coached with him, joined in the celebration.

“Dedicating the field to coach Fred is well-deserved,” Banks said. “The man has done it all and he deserves it. The lasting legacy he leaves on this program is going to be seen forever, so finally having his name on the field is an honor and a privilege.

“I got to play for him, coach for him and now we get to play on his field. It’s awesome, it’s special thing to be a part of.”

Heatherington won 697 games, 14 OVAC championships, 21 sectional titles, six regional titles, 18 district championships and went to the state final four six times for his alma mater.

“It’s just a great honor to be able to graduate from here, play baseball here and coach here,” Heatherington said. “I had two great mentors in Reno (Saccoccia) and Chuck Watt, great administrations that backed you in anything you wanted to do. Parents that rooted for the team instead of just their son, we thank them. If they were the opposite, we still thank them. It’s just a great honor, a really great honor.

“I had three goals. Teach the game, get players in college and have Big Red baseball be known statewide.”

It’s safe to say he accomplished those goals and set the program up to keep accompishing those in the future, now on the field that bears his name.