Artist/designer selected: Â Derek Parker, Pittsburgh, PA
From artist’s statement:  Early on in the process, I had rummaged through the forgotten corners of my closet and found an old baseball, a little worn, but still in good shape. Being a tactile person, I just needed something to hold in my hand, to get the creative energy flowing. It took a few days before I stopped playing with it, actually paused, and really looked at the ball. There staring me right in the face were 108 of the answers I was looking for. Meandering around the ball in a continuous and unbroken line of deep red were the handâ€sewn stitches that hold the familiar and inviting shape of a baseball together. This was it, the idea is simple, the imagery is graceful, and the concept is relevant. My plan is straightforward; I am going to stitch Clipper Stadium and the City of Lancaster together.
In late August, Le Hinton, the selected poet for Clipper Magazine Stadium who happens to also be a lover of baseball and a Lancaster resident, gave the opening pitch at a home Barnstormers Game while his brother played as catcher. Le preceeded the pitch by a reading of his poem from the mound.
Poem selected: Â Our Ballpark by Le Hinton, Lancaster, PA
