SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - South Bend residents gathered at historic Matthys Ballpark on Saturday to celebrate its grand reopening.

Located on South Bend’s west side, the ballpark was founded in 1955. But in recent years, its fields were unused, and the facilities fell into a state of disrepair.

Now, a new partnership with Portage Township is helping to restore the ballpark to its former glory.

“Out here, this isn’t where kids just learn how to swing a bat. They learn hard work, they learn how to work as a team, they learn how to win they learn how to lose. And that’s really important as they develop critical thinking skills,” says Portage Township Trustee Jason Critchlow. “It’s just great to hear laughter from kids coming out of this ballpark.”

Exhibition games were held throughout t

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