In another chapter of Sacramento’s long baseball history, which dates back to the early years of the city, former Major League Baseball star and Sacramento native Greg Vaughn is continuing to add to his already rich resume.

Next month, a special ceremony will be held to honor Vaughn and other contributors to the baseball program of Bradshaw Christian High School.

In a show of his love for the game and his strong interest in assisting young ballplayers, Vaughn, who played 16 years in the majors, provided his financial assistance to a project to complete the private school’s new baseball field.

Bradshaw Christian is not entirely a new school, as it began 14 years ago as a preschool. But in its current state as a junior high school at 9555 Calvine Road in Sacramento and a high school at 8324 Bradshaw Road on the same piece of property, the school is very much in transition.

With 200 students enrolled in its high school and only one class having graduated from the current campus, the school continues a steady growth pattern, which will eventually include a maximum capacity for 900 students.

Mike Ruble, the school’s athletic director, said that the school was in dire need of athletic stadiums for its sports teams when Vaughn stepped forward to provide his assistance.

“We have a gymnasium, but we still needed stadiums (for outdoor sports),” Ruble said. “And of all the facilities that we have to build, we thought building a baseball stadium would be the least expensive. Greg has been very involved with our baseball program and he has really been a huge contributor to this project. I can’t say thanks enough to the Vaughn family for their tremendous support.”

Ruble added that he not only appreciates Vaughn’s willingness to assist the school financially, but also for his time that he contributes to the school, where his 18-year-old son Cory (now a baseball player at San Diego State University) attended and where his 13-year-old daughter Genay attends the eighth grade.

Ruble said that he believes that Vaughn is “a humble guy, who has come a long way, but that nothing [has] been given to him.”

Ruble also points out that Vaughn is someone who is very community-minded and extremely interested in assisting local youth.

“It’s just all about the kids with Greg,” Ruble said. “And if he can, he prefers to strengthen his own community.”

Vaughn’s actions mirror Ruble’s words, as Vaughn is helping to bring forth the dream of the school’s present and future baseball players.

In appreciation for Vaughn’s contributions, the stadium will be dedicated as Vaughn Field.

Furthermore, the complex, where the field lies, will bear the name of the Rose family, who formerly owned the property where the school is now located.

Ruble said that the baseball field, which was also made possible through the efforts of S & S Fencing, Pacific Building Supply, Rick Yount, Curt Ragsdale, Parker Landscaping, Weber Construction and parent volunteers, is one of the nicest baseball fields in the Sacramento area.

The field, which Ruble describes as having a “sort of Fenway Park feel,” includes sunken down dugouts, home and visiting team bullpens, a batting cage with a cabling system to retract its nets and a “Vaughn’s Valley” sign in memory of Vaughn’s playing days in left-center field.

Additional work, which is expected to be completed in about a year, will include lights, grandstands, a snack bar and a press box.

The entire project, said Ruble, will total about $1 million.

Vaughn, 42, who ended his career with the Colorado Rockies in 2003, said that he was pleased to contribute to such an important project for the school, but that it is important for him not to receive too much credit for his contributions to the field.

“There’s a lot of people who helped out,” Vaughn said. “I think I just came in when it was stuck and I just worked with them and gave them the final – I hate to say it – monies to finish it. There were a lot of different contributors, so for me to come in here and take all the credit wouldn’t be fair. Without the school administrators and the people who the land came from, the construction company, the architect and many others, it wouldn’t have happened. I was the final piece to get this done, but this was definitely a collective effort in which many people came together to make this happen.”

Yet placing the topic of full credit verses partial credit aside, the point remains that the field will bear the name of a Sacramento native who delivered additional glory to the long story of professional baseball in Sacramento.

The earliest-known record of this history appeared in the Nov. 17, 1859 edition of The Sacramento Union with an announcement of the formation of what appears to be the city’s first officially organized baseball club, “the Sacramento Base Ball Club.”

By 1886, Sacramento received its first professional team, which was the predecessor of the famous Sacramento Solons team and today’s Sacramento River Cats.

Vaughn, who attended games of a later edition of the Solons when they played at Hughes Stadium during his youth, understands some of the early history and importance of baseball in Sacramento.

“Sacramento is definitely a baseball city,” Vaughn said. “It’s rich in tradition and many great players have come out of Sacramento.”

In understanding the city’s baseball tradition, Vaughn said that he feels a certain joy with being able to add to this rich history.

Following a stellar career at Kennedy High School, where he lettered in baseball and football, Vaughn attended Sacramento City College and the University of Miami, where at both schools, he attracted the attention of Major League scouts.

Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in 1986, Vaughn played eight seasons for the Brewers before being traded to the San Diego Padres. While in San Diego, he made a lifelong friendship with now Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn.

Vaughn rounded out his career with the Cincinnati Reds, Tampa Bay Devil Rays (now the Tampa Bay Rays) and the Colorado Rockies.

Overall, Vaughn had a career batting average of .242 with 1,475 hits, 355 home runs, 1,072 runs batted in, 1,017 runs scored, 284 doubles, 23 triples and 121 stolen bases in 1,731 games.

Additionally, Vaughn, who has also coached youth baseball teams in Sacramento, was a member of four All-Star teams and was named the National League Comeback Player of the Year in 1998 and won the Silver Slugger Award.

He also garnered much attention in 1999 when he hit 50 home runs and ended the season trailing only Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Ken Griffey, Jr. in this category.

Vaughn, who enjoys golfing, fishing and spending time with his wife Michele and their children in his leisure time, said that he thoroughly enjoyed his Major League career, which ended because his body had become injury-prone from years of playing.

“I enjoyed my professional baseball career and now I look forward to seeing the opening of the new Vaughn Field and continuing to work in the community,” Vaughn said.

Principal Brett Mowery said that Vaughn’s care and concern in spending many hours with the school’s baseball team embodies the spirit of a Sacramento baseball legend, who the school feels honored to have its field named after.

“It’s an honor to have our baseball field named after Greg Vaughn, who has assisted the school with his family in numerous ways over the past 13 years,” Mowery said. “The involvement of Greg, along with his family and many others, will enable our young athletes to engage in athletic competition, which will help to build Godly character and impact their daily lives for years to come.”