Send this story Print this story

Adjust text size

Flood Park: A venue for semi-pro baseball?

Would semi-professional baseball and Flood Park be a fit? It's a question that David Klein, the founder and general manager of the Menlo Park Legends semi-pro collegiate baseball team, recently posed to the Menlo Park City Council.

To trim San Mateo County's operating budget, the Board of Supervisors recommended shutting down the 21-acre park at 215 Bay Road, but has also asked the Menlo Park council whether the city wants to take the park over.

As head of the nonprofit Legends, Mr. Klein noted in an interview that fundraising is one of his talents.

"I have had some thoughts which may help justify the acquisition of the park," Mr. Klein wrote to the council. "Many of these involve financial justifications which I would like to discuss with you."

His goal in creating the Legends in 2009: "Providing the community and local talent a competitive summer team which they can play for and rally behind," he said in a email to the council. "We play around 50 games every summer and compete against nationally recognized teams from all over the West Coast."

Mr. Klein also runs week-long summer baseball camps for kids ages 6 to 12 in which the kids are on the field alongside semi-pro Legends players.