Siouxland family looks back at their father’s baseball legacy
One Siouxland family has been apart of North High School baseball for decades. Now the family is taking a look back at all their father was able to accomplish and they’re making sure his memory lives on through their continued love of the Stars’ baseball program.
“It brings tears to my eyes to see it finally get done,” said Alice Speraw, “Bud” Speraw’s Wife.
For Sioux City’s three public high schools, the road to bringing lights to their baseball diamonds has been a journey decades in the making. One Siouxland family has been a part of the baseball scene in public schools since 1972.
“Bud” Speraw had a lifelong passion for America’s National Pasttime. That dedication to the game led him to build a field at North High School.
“The Spring of ’72 he started working on this field and you know just started to plow out the dirt infield and try to get grass to grow and mowing it and spending hours and hours and hours every year,” said Kirk Speraw.
“Bud” Speraw’s family says he always wanted lights at this field. And his reason was quite simple.
“He always said that his goal was to get baseball lights so he could play night games and that’s something that was, you know, a challenge for him to try to get people on board with that and he’d be tickled pink to see the lights on,” said Speraw.
It has been 30 years since Bud passed away. But his family says they’re glad to see his legacy live on through another generation of ballplayers in Siouxland.
“I hope they realize the background to this story. Probably they don’t but, that’s ok. We play ball,” said Alice Speraw.