Board of Selectmen Honor Joe Keohane with Field Dedication

The Burlington Board of Selectmen began the meeting Monday night with a special presentation.

The board honored Coach Joe Keohane, who spent decades working with Burlington youth, with a special proclamation that named a section the upper Simond's Park Field "Joe Keohane Field."

Coach Keohane was present at the meeting with his son, also Joe, to hear the proclamation and receive a copy of it from the board. The proclamation was read by Chair Walter Zenkin.

Click the video on the right to see the proclamation being read.

The proclamation:

Whereas Joe Keohane has been the face of Burlington baseball for 43 years — coaching hundreds of players (including sons of former players), teaching fundamentals of baseball, sportsmanship and fair play;

And whereas Joe was an ever-present leader at the ball fields of Simond's Park; coaching girls' softball, summer all-star baseball, youth hockey teams, serving on the Board of Directors for both baseball and hockey, taking the charge in the 1970's to make available quality and affordable hockey camp for the youth of Burlington, and was also co-founder and operated the Burlington Ice Palace Hockey School for 20 years;

and whereas Joe's list of accomplishments include 18 Baseball Championships, 5 Middlesex Softball League Championships, the 2010 recipient of the Fred Ebbett Award from the Massachusetts High School Baseball Coaches Association - an award given to men and women who serve the youth of Massachusetts in making significant contributions to amateur and youth baseball in their communities;

and whereas Joe's youth hockey teams won State and New England Championships, his Pee Wee Team placed 2nd in the National Championship Tournament; he has a long list of Burlington High School Hall of Famers, and two Hobey Baker Award recipients (a top college hockey player award given by National Collegiate Athletic Association). Athletes who often recognize Joe for his influence on their success, not only as sportsmen and women; but also as people;

and whereas at age 82, Joe represents the love of sports, the love of the youth of Burlington, scouts for players, mentors former players and stands in the bleachers supporting the players;

Therefore the Board of Selectmen, on this day of April 25, 2011, do declare it an appropriate honor to name the upper Simond's Park Field "Joe Keohane Field."