FRESNO, Calif. – Time has marched onward in southeast Fresno. Buildings have come and gone, businesses have opened and closed, but a familiar sound has remained a constant for more than half a century: the ping that only comes from an aluminum bat hitting a baseball.
Since 1963, that sound can be traced to Bakman Field, a sanctuary representing the intersection of history and community for the residents of the Sunnyside area. With the help of community partners, including Valley Children’s Healthcare, the park recently underwent a significant renovation to preserve its legacy and expand access for the next generation of players.
The field is nestled between neighborhoods just to the northeast of a bustling southeast Fresno intersection, a fitting place for a park intended to be a haven for neighborhood kids.
Sunnyside Lone Star Little League was established in 1962, but the league didn’t have a place to play. Fortunately, the Bakman family had moved to Fresno from Southern California a few decades earlier, and had some farmland they weren’t using.
“This whole idea with my family, it’s always been about giving back,” said Tim Bakman. “And that leads into the idea of this field.
The Bakman family originally moved to the Central Valley to establish ranches and farm, later moving into irrigation and water companies full time (Tim currently serves as president of the Bakman Water Company). When the league came asking, Tim’s father Richard was happy to make a deal to allow them to build a baseball field on his farmland.
This whole idea with my family, it’s always been about giving back. And that leads into the idea of this field.
– Tim Bakman
“He didn’t donate it – everybody thinks he donated it. He sold it to the little league for a dollar,” said Tim. By selling it, Richard was able to condition it so that it could only be used for youth baseball and softball.
With the land they needed, the field was built by parents, volunteers and members of the community, completely by hand. In 1963, Sunnyside Lone Star Little League celebrated Opening Day at Bakman Field.
More than 60 years later, the park was in need of some significant renovations. Time had done its work on the bleachers and dugouts – more than 12,000 kids have played on the field since it opened – so local organizations and governments worked together to fund the project.
The upgrades, which were completed before and during the 2025 season, include a new snack bar, scoreboard, irrigation system, bleachers, fencing, dugouts and ADA-compliant restrooms. The field was also leveled to accommodate the Challenger League, which serves children with mobility challenges.
“Working with community partners to help provide more equitable access to outdoor spaces, safe spaces and spaces where kids can be kids is really part of our mission,” said Dr. Carmela Sosa, director of the Guilds Center for Community Health at Valley Children’s.
“Being a part of something like the Challenger League, which allows kids who otherwise would not have those opportunities to participate in activities that are a fundamental part of childhood, is just amazing to be able to do,” said Dr. Sosa.
For families like the Walls, the field’s revival is deeply personal. Aaron Wall, who grew up playing at Bakman Field, now coaches his own children there.
“It’s super special,” Wall said. “Watching them run down to first base, just like I did. Baseball is just kind of the excuse for us all to get together, but it goes beyond that in terms of what we want to build here.”
That concept is apparent when you talk to Trevor Barbeau, too. His son Malloch plays on the team he coaches.
“Not only do we build players for baseball and softball, but we also build good citizens of our community,” Trevor said.
Citizens of their community built this park, and that same community is ensuring that the sounds of baseball will continue to emanate from Bakman Field for decades to come.
To learn more about Bakman Field and Sunnyside Lone Star Little League, click here.
