Preserving a Ballpark and Collecting Memories
After the Eagles disbanded in the early 1980s, baseball faded from popularity in the community and the Eagles’ field went silent. When trees began to grow up around the field and the bleachers and dugouts began to sag and collapse, concerned community members, including several former Eagles players, formed the Oaksville Community Club to build support for restoring the park. In 2009, the Club held fundraisers to buy building materials and reached out to local carpenters and electricians to volunteer their time to restore the park.
Club members worked hard to rebuild the park as true to its original design as possible, with a few modifications. For instance, chain link fencing replaced the original chicken wire to mark the outfield and cinder blocks took the place of wood in the dugouts. After six months of hard work, the park once again regained its place at the heart of the Oaksville community.
Volunteers now maintain the grounds with support from the Somerset County Commission. A Maryland Historical Trust highway sign commemorates the ball park's history as one of the few African American sandlot ball fields remaining in the country.
The effort to collect memories of the Eagles’ history and build interest in the community’s heritage continues through events and local exhibitions.