His Field Of Dreams Wv’s Isherwood Really Does Have Home-Field Advantage

Baseball has become so ingrained in Jeremy Isherwood’s life that it comes as no surprise he even has his own field of dreams.

His father, Steve, a local businessman, said building the major league-sized baseball field was largely therapeutic, a hobby enabling him to putt around on a tractor and solve the world’s problems.

“It was kind of a neighborhood joke. ‘If you build it, they will come,”’ said Steve. “Jeremy, his brother Jesse and I have been hobbying the field for four years now. We will have a neat little ballpark one day.”

It also became a haven, said his son, a place where he could stay at home and still practice.

In Isherwood’s case, practice makes perfect. WV coach Ray Riggin said that when Jeremy started the season in what amounted to him to be a slump, Steve pitched five buckets of balls to his son on the family field.

“I hit about an hour’s worth,” said Jeremy. “Dad’s arm was dead, but I guess it was worth it for me.”

It was merely a case of frustration, born of anxiousness, said Steve. Nothing that a little batting practice couldn’t cure.

Added Riggin, “I think it was because he knows (coaches and scouts) are looking at him. Over the past few games he’s having fun again.”

The West Valley High School senior third baseman this year has yet to strike out in a Frontier League game. A contact hitter, he’s batting a healthy .438 midway through the season and leads the Eagles in extra base hits with 10 and RBIs with 16.

“He’s a player,” said Riggin. “He’s just solid.”

Baseball has consumed Isherwood since he was little. An Atlanta Braves fan, he watched the game on television and began playing at age 5 in tee-ball.

He worked through the youth ranks, playing shortstop and pitching on Babe Ruth All-Star teams that competed in tournaments in Washington and Oregon.

“It was quite obvious by age 11 he had a talent for the game,” said his dad. “He was always a bit ahead of the class. When all others’ talents caught up, he started to work for it.”

Isherwood switched to third base as a sophomore, which was fine since Atlanta’s Chipper Jones is his idol. He made the All-Frontier team last spring and last summer made the AAA American Legion all-star team.

He’s been to various professional camps, including this past November when he traveled with Team Washington to the Doyle Fall Classic in Peoria, Ariz.

That is where the Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres conduct spring training.

Isherwood would like to pursue the game further, most likely at a community college.

“I’ve just grown up playing baseball and got more and more into it each year,” Isherwood said. “I kept playing and playing and now can’t stand not playing.” In the meantime he can almost hear the roar of a crowd while practicing at the family ball yard.

“Everybody visualizes things differently,” said his dad. “When I looked at that, I thought, ‘This is screaming out, baseball field.’ We’re slowly building it into a neat place for kids in the area to play.”

And for Jeremy Isherwood to pursue his dreams.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo