Dick Allen, the former Phillie and seven time all-star, looked at the plush baseball field at FDR Park with pride and a little envy.
"It means a lot to see this," Allen said, speaking at the new field near the sports complex. "When I was young, I would have loved to have had a chance like this, but more importantly I am really pleased for the youth and our city."
The Phillies MLB Urban Youth Academy, a project that had been years in the making, officially opened Thursday. The new field is an addition to the existing Ashburn Baseball Field and two girls' softball fields.