Dayton ball field plays ball Saturday

That Dayton's first Babe Ruth Baseball field is named after him isn't important to Tim Jones.

What's important, he says, is the community's children have a home field they can enjoy with pride.

"I'm one player in the midst of hundreds," Jones said. "It takes the county parks department to keep it up, it takes the coaches and the kids who give us their Saturdays for field days. We're as proud as heck to have it. It's a nice field and we can be proud to host a home game."

Jones, who has lived in Lyon County since 1991, has been stumping to get a ball field constructed since he arrived.

The 42-year-old father of four works as a painting contractor when he's not working with youth sports.

Jones credits Landmark Homes owner Jim Bawden for coming up with the $60,000 that made the field in northeast Dayton a reality.

"It's lucky for me we've got a guy like Jim Bawden," Jones said. "We went to him and he said we can make this happen, and a year later it was there. It's a small community and there are only so many people you can go to for help without coming back again in a short period of time."

Bawden said he wanted to give back to communities where the company develops.

"Dayton is continuing to expand into the kind of community in Northern Nevada where commerce and old-fashioned, family-friendly lifestyles grow together. We are proud to be part of this excitement, and it seems only fitting to name the first Babe Ruth field in Dayton after Jones."

Smith's grocery store donated the money for a backstop and a dugout.

Jones said he thinks the ball field is just the beginning.

"Once you get something started, it is a lot easier to get other people to help out," he said. "Every small town goes through these things. We are very fortunate to have a pretty darn good ball field."

Jones knows what it's like to grow up in a small town. He and wife Deborah met almost 25 years ago when at North Lake Tahoe High School.

Oldest daughter Jessica lives in Carson City, as does Jones' oldest son, Jerome, 23, who made him a grandfather just over a year ago.

Daughter Joanna plays softball and is a senior at Dayton High School and son Jacob graduates from eighth grade this spring.

Jones says having a ball field named after him is just icing on the cake.

"If you want to talk in terms of wealth, I've got great friends and a great family and there's nothing else I could want," he said.

IF YOU GO

What: Opening day at Jones Field

When: 10:30 a.m. Saturday

Where: Roughing It Way, northeast Dayton