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Dad builds baseball field in memory of infant son

Chris Harshbarger stands in the middle of his baseball field showing the tattoo he has for his son Seth, who died of SIDS as an infant. Harshbarger is naming the field, Seth's Field.

Teesha McClam Chris Harshbarger stands in the middle of his baseball field showing the tattoo he has for his son Seth, who died of SIDS as an infant. Harshbarger is naming the field, Seth's Field.

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Photos: Springboro dad builds Seth's Field

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Chris Harshbarger with his three sons Lane, 9, Alex, 7, and Cole, 12, on the pitcher's mound of the baseball field Harshbarger built in the memory of his son, Seth, who died of SIDS as an infant. Harshbarger is naming the field Seth's Field.

Staff photo by Teesha McClam Chris Harshbarger with his three sons Lane, 9, Alex, 7, and Cole, 12, on the pitcher's mound of the baseball field Harshbarger built in the memory of his son, Seth, who died of SIDS as an infant. Harshbarger is naming the field Seth's Field.

Despite a physical disability, grieving father creates playing field in honor of son who died of SIDS in 2005.

By Lawrence Budd, Staff Writer Updated 10:11 AM Tuesday, June 9, 2009

SPRINGBORO — A chronic nervous disorder couldn’t stop Chris Harshbarger from building his Field of Dreams to honor his son.

Harshbarger, disabled by Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy, named the field in memory of his infant son, Seth, who died March 22, 2005, of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Harshbarger is coach of the Boro Bandits, a youth baseball team.

After his team lost, 21-15, to the Lebanon Lightning, in the first game at the field June 6, he described the opening day as “overwhelming.”

Since January, Harshbarger has been turning a farm field off Ohio 73 in Wayne Twp. into a ball diamond, with help from good Samaritans, friends and players’ parents.

“I didn’t want to build a baseball field. It took on a life of its own,” he said.

Friends put him in touch with Will Smith, owner of the Double Eagle Golf Center, who provided about two acres next to the golf center for the field, in exchange for a share of rental fees. Other businesses provided donations or discounts on equipment and turf and other materials.

Since 2000, Harshbarger has been disabled by the acquired immune-mediated inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nervous system, which can affect the central nervous system. He spent 17 months using a wheelchair. He still undergoes periodic treatments and sees doctors locally and at the Cleveland Clinic.

Last week, he acknowledged the countless hours working on the field have sapped his strength, prompting admonitions from his doctor to slow down.

“I can’t. I’ve got to get it finished,” he said. “This field’s killing me.”

He also said he owes about $11,000 to a lender.

Jodi and Stefan Ustorf began pitching in because “he was doing it all on his own,” Jodi Ustorf said.

Harshbarger had special motivation.

Seth died while with a sitter, triggering feelings of guilt for Harshbarger and his wife, Lara. The family spoke with the SID Network of Ohio, a support group dedicated to counseling grieving families. Building and naming the field in Seth’s memory has been therapeutic.

Harshbarger also acknowledged inspiration from one of his favorite movies, “Field of Dreams.”

“That kind of got entwined to it,” he said. “It turned into a Field of Dreams, absolutely.”

Contact this reporter at  (937) 225-2261 or lbudd @DaytonDailyNews.com.

Information

For more about SIDS or CIPD SID Network of Ohio: www.sidsohio.org

CIPDUSAFoundation: www.cidpusa.org

7 Days for SIDS week of area events, continuing through Sunday, June 14: www.7daysforsids.com

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