Don Edwards Park is a five field baseball complex located in Newark, Ohio. Originally built as one field in 1963 by Don “Gramps” Edwards. The facility has served as the host of multiple leagues, tournaments, and events throughout the years. As our community has grown the ballpark has grown to the serve the needs of our youth.
Our ballpark became the host site of the Babe Ruth World Series in August of 1977. The first game hosted for that series was between New Orleans, Louisiana and Arroyo Grande, California. Between 1977 and 2010 Don Edwards Park would host the Babe Ruth World Series nine times. In the 1994 and the 1995 season the ballpark served as the home for a semi-professional team named the Newark Buffalos.
The City of Newark purchased the ballpark from Babe Ruth League INC in 2011. Since the purchase, the Licking County Family YMCA has operated the facility. The YMCA has drastically multiplied the amount of games played at the park. This is in part to hosting many travel baseball tournaments, such as the Worthington Wood Bat, Buckeye Elite, 726 Sports Classic and many more! Additionally, many local organizations use Don Edwards for leagues, practices, or games. The Ohio Bison, Ohio Hitmen, Licking Valley Dirtbags, Eastside Warriors, Muskingum Muckdogs, and more, frequent Don Edwards Park.
In the 2023 season the ballpark hosted over 950 baseball games across a spring, summer and fall season from March to October. For the first year the YMCA hosted their NFL Flag Football League at the ballpark as well boasting another 200 games and additional foot traffic in the park!
Our ballpark staff and administration are excited to see you on the field, in the bleachers, or at the concession stand this year!