Saberhagen miffed over city’s actions

By Michael Picarella
pic@theacorn.com

Calabasas High School Baseball coach Bret Saberhagen, the former major league pitching star, requested $32,000 from the city of Calabasas for a scoreboard at the new varsity baseball field he’s building, but later withdrew his request following a funding disagreement at last week’s city council meeting.

Calabasas City Councilmember Lesley Devine said she had concerns about giving money to a field that benefited only male students.

Saberhagen said he was offended by the remark since he’s given much of his time and money to female athletic programs.

"The scoreboard will be paid for whether the city is involved or not," Saberhagen said. "I just thought that the city—especially with the high school being the only one in Calabasas—I figured they’d like to be a part of probably the best field in Southern California."

The council talked about bringing the scoreboard project before homeowners who lived nearby and before the city’s education commission for possible discussion.

"The bottom line is, the scoreboard has already been approved (by the Las Virgenes Unified School District Board of Education), the location has already been approved, the scoreboard has already been ordered and it will be going in shortly," Saberhagen said.

"(Now) it’s just a matter of who’s going to be on the sponsor panel below."

Saberhagen wants a $32,000 sponsor. Or, since the bottom panel can hold three sponsor names, Saberhagen said three sponsors could split the cost.

Saberhagen is confident he’ll get the money, despite reluctance from some nearby residents. The homeowners don’t support the scoreboard project even though it will be located on private property belonging to the school district.

In addition to funds for the scoreboard, Saberhagen still needs about another $200,000 to finish the ball field.

"I told the (school) board when they approved this that if I didn’t raise the money through fundraising or donations that I would finish the project with my own funds," Saberhagen said.

The CHS baseball coach has raised about $400,000 for the field. The entire project will cost about $600,000.

The new field will debut with an alumni game scheduled for Feb. 26. "I don’t know how much of the exterior will be done. We’re still trying to get the dugouts and the bleacher area finished off . . . Those are the big areas that we’re trying to finish."

Saberhagen added the scoreboard would be installed by opening day.