Cubs: Stoneman Douglas names new ballpark after Anthony Rizzo

After the Chicago Cubs Anthony Rizzo took part in providing lights, Stoneman Douglas did the proper thing. They named it after them. Too bad they cut him.

The Chicago Cubs Anthony Rizzo started planning the thing in 2016, and it was a ‘pie-in-the-sky’ idea. In 2019, Rizzo and his family celebrated ‘Anthony Rizzo Field.’ It was a slow process. Rizzo donated $150,000 plus raise additional funds for the lights. It was an honor, although he got cut by the varsity.

He eventually made it to the varsity and would go on to a successful career. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox, made his way to the San Diego Padres via Jed Hoyer. He was eventually traded to the Cubs, and the rest is history.

Rizzo said this.

"“It’s crazy, especially with all that’s happened the last couple of years,” Rizzo said. “But going to school here, growing up here, playing with a lot of really good players that have played at this school and come into this program, and having this named after us is something that I’ve never thought of. To be able to do it is just surreal.”"

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Rizzo, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2008, is active in his community. He pledged a $1 million donation to Joe DiMaggio‘s Children’s Hospital in 2019. He’s hosted his Walk-Off For Cancer walk for the last eight years.

"“When we decided to do the lights, we wanted to make it nice,” Rizzo said. “We wanted to get the best lights we could, and we’ve got to thank a lot of people who also donated for the baseball field and the softball fields.”"

The lights cost about $500,000. He got donations from about 50 companies and 100 people donated to the cause. It’s crazy when people come together, especially for cancer. I have cancer — glioblastoma, also known as a GBM, Stage IV.

The first surgery went well back in 2018. The resection in 2019? Not so much. I have right-side weakness. ‘Dead arm’ for lack of a better word, and the leg still works, but barely. But I’m doing physical therapy for it. In the end, I’m still here, and I thank God for that.