By Jason KUROSU

Casey Stengel Field has hosted baseball in Glendale for 65 years, a staple for the athletic community. But water damage led to the stadium being condemned in 2011.

Demolition and renovation of the park is slated for September, but this past weekend allowed baseball fans a chance to see the game they love for the last time before the stadium is revamped.

The San Gabriel Valley Senior Babe Ruth All-Star team and La Crescenta 13-year-old Babe Ruth squad took part in tournaments over the weekend. Entry was $5 per person, with the money going towards preserving the field.

The city of Glendale will spend $450,000 on the stadium’s demolition and installation of temporary bleachers to seat 1,000 people.

Despite only the first three rows of seats in the stadium being available due to safety concerns from city officials, fans packed in to watch.

The San Gabriel Valley squad, which is comprised of players from Crescenta Valley High School, Glendale Community College and other schools throughout the San Gabriel Valley, faced off against Heartwell of Long Beach, starting with a game Saturday night.

San Gabriel Valley won the Saturday night opener 5-0, then faced Long Beach again Sunday afternoon.

Needing to win two of three to win the tournament, SGV got off to a terrible start, as Long Beach pounded them for seven runs through the first three innings. SGV mounted a valiant comeback to tie the game in the fifth inning, before eventually yielding the lead and losing 9-7.

That loss turned Sunday into a doubleheader, as the last game played before the demolition of Stengel Field became the rubber game of the three game series. SGV returned the favor resoundingly by building a 7-0 lead through the first two innings, leading to a relatively easy 9-1 win and a tournament victory.

  Jason Kurosu