Turner Construction Photo
The playing field in Derby.
DERBY — Derby Public Schools have a day-long celebration slated for Saturday (April 24) to mark the official opening of Payden Park at the Leo F. Ryan Athletic Complex off Chatfied Street.
The stunning baseball/softball field (and the state of the art field house) was financed by Joan Payden, the founder, president and CEO of Payden & Rygel, an investment firm based in Los Angeles that manages more than $106 billion in assets.
Payden’s father, Joseph R. Payden,played varsity football at Derby High School and was valedictorian of the Class of 1915.
This season is the first time ballplayers have been able to play on the diamond there.
Joan Payden is scheduled to be at the opening ceremonies via the Internet. Derby Public Schools have a series of livestreams planned so people can watch at home.
Speakers include Payden, and her cousin, Meg Lampazzi, Superintendent Matthew Conway said. Ceremonial first pitches will be thrown by Bev Moran, for softball, and by Will Lampazzi (Meg Lampazzi’s son), for baseball.
The girls softball game, in which Derby is scheduled to take on Ansonia, will be livestreamed on YouTube starting at 9:55 a.m. Saturday (April 24).
The embed below should be live at that time:
After the softball game, a ceremony marking the opening of the field is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
The ceremonies will be livestreamed on YouTube within the embedded player below:
The Derby High School baseball players will take on Ansonia High School in the afternoon, with a livestream scheduled to start at 2:25 p.m. It should be embedded below:
