Renaming Barnitz Stadium

Journal story.....

Middletown group wants field named after former Middie great

It took Cris Carter 11 years after his illustrious professional career ended to be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

He’ll have to wait a little longer to possibly have the field where he starred for Middletown High School to be named in his honor. MHS teacher Mark Kerns gave a passionate — and far longer than the allotted three minutes — plea for the Middletown Board of Education to name the Barnitz Stadium football field the Cris Carter Field

I LIKE THE INSERT "AND FAR LONGER THAN THE ALLOTTED THREE MINUTES".

Kerns said he’d like to have the field named as soon as possible. A few weeks ago, the court at Wade E. Miller Gym was named the Jerry Lucas Court, as was the court at Sunset Park.

AND YOU JUST ANSWERED YOUR OWN REQUEST KERNS. HOW ABOUT INSTEAD OF CHRIS CARTER STADIUM, MAKE IT BARNITZ STADIUM.....CHRIS CARTER FIELD?....JUST LIKE WADE E. MILLER GYM- JERRY LUCAS COURT. THAT LEAVES THE DOOR OPEN TO ADD ANY OTHER NOTIBLES TO THE LIST WITH LUCAS AND CARTER, BUT DOESN'T CHANGE THE NAME OF THE FACILITY.

“This is nothing but a big positive,” Kerns said.

Then he referenced Forbes magazine that several years ago named Middletown one of the “fastest dying towns” in the country

CRAP, NOT SUPPOSE TO MENTION THE FASTEST DYING CITY THING KERNS.

Kerns said Middletown is experiencing a 360-degree turnaround. Then he added: “This can be the exclamation point that shows a total reversal. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

A TAD BIT OF AN EMBELLISHMENT AND OPTIMISTIC VIEW KERNS. NOT YET SON. MAYBE DOWN THE ROAD.

Kerns predicts the May 7 event will be the “biggest day this city has ever had.”

NO, THE BIGGEST DAY THE CITY WILL HAVE WILL BE WHEN WE SEE NEW JOBS AND PEOPLE HAVING HOPE AND THE CITY PROGRESSING. THAT IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT. FOCUS KERNS, FOCUS.

“He the most transformed person I know,” Kerns aid. “He’s totally different person since he left Middletown.”

HMMM....A DIFFERENT PERSON SINCE HE LEFT MIDDLETOWN.

He called the Carters, who lived in People’s Place Apartments, under the shadows of Barnitz Stadium, “the most resilient family” he ever met

NEED TO MEET MORE PEOPLE. ALOT OF "RESILIENT" PEOPLE WHO HAVE (ARE) DEALING WITH SETBACKS EACH AND EVERY DAY.

“They absolutely love Middletown,” said Kerns

SOME OF US LOVE THE TOWN AS MUCH AS THE CARTERS. JUST DON'T AGREE WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING RIGHT NOW.

The request is to name the field the Cris Carter Field at Barnitz Stadium. They did not ask to rename the stadium.

Kitty,

It's not Barnitz Stadium, it's Barnitz Field Stadium.  Has always been Barnitz Field Stadium.  It's unfortunate people do not even know the name and repeat it incorrectly so much that doing a Google search actually pulled up the incorrect name.  In fact, most people from Middletown refer to it as "Barnitz Field".  It might have something to do with the fancy entrance the Barnitz family had erected along South Main.  Did the Barnitz family fund the whole venue when it was built?  Does anyone know why it is named after them if they didn't fund it or at least the majority of it?  I'm against changing the name.  Find something else to name after Cris Carter.  I don't get all of this stripping away of heritage to feed egos.  If he wants his name on something just name the scoreboard after him.  This way his name can be lit up in bright lights for all to see every weekend.  That's what this is really all about isn't it? 

In fairness, Cris Carter did not ask for any of this, and has never asked for anything locally. His family never had it easy around here, despite their athletic success

Rhodes wrote: It's not Barnitz Stadium, it's Barnitz Field Stadium.  Has always been Barnitz Field Stadium.  It's unfortunate people do not even know the name and repeat it incorrectly so much that doing a Google search actually pulled up the incorrect name.  In fact, most people from Middletown refer to it as "Barnitz Field".  It might have something to do with the fancy entrance the Barnitz family had erected along South Main.  Did the Barnitz family fund the whole venue when it was built?  Does anyone know why it is named after them if they didn't fund it or at least the majority of it?  I'm against changing the name.  Find something else to name after Cris Carter.  I don't get all of this stripping away of heritage to feed egos.  If he wants his name on something just name the scoreboard after him.  This way his name can be lit up in bright lights for all to see every weekend.  That's what this is really all about isn't it?

Never understood why they changed the name of the rec center. Also they want to change the basketball court. Im a good citizen name something after me.
Chris was a hell of a player cant take that away from him.But the Barnitz did donate the field.

I don't think that anything of the sort is expected.
Especially on that large scale. I believe that Atrium has committed to turfing the field
(Don't hold ME to that).

No strings to this honor--no promise on a name change(for the field only).

Lucas, Carter, Harrison--sincere deserved congratulations with no strings attached.
For athletic achievement only
What they do in their own us entirely up to them, and should be
Appreciated and not expected or demanded

Jmo

Marcia Andrew wrote: Rhodes, thank you for the information and photo. I don't usually enter from Main Street side, so was not aware of the Barnitz Field sign and name. We will look into it. The proposal may need to be tweaked.   This is one reason why we did not approve the request on the spot Monday night. Good practice to check out for any unknown complications.

Ms.Andrew. The Barnitz Field entryway, in the old picture, on S. Main St. is no longer there. The arches and sign were knocked down years ago by a band bus that backed into the arch. Did enough damage to warrant tearing the whole thing down.