The dedication of the Joaquin Oliver Ball field. Pictured: Joaquin’s mother Patricia, his father Manuel, sister Andrea, Omar Padauy (Joaquin’s uncle) and Oriana Padauy. Photo by North Springs LL.
By: Carly Levy
North Springs Little League dedicated one of their ball fields to 17-year-old former little league, Joaquin Oliver, who was killed by a gunman at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
To honor Oliver’s memory, the league wanted to show their love for him by naming field four after him.
“This is something that the league wanted to do for the [Oliver] family,” said Jason Rosoff, President of North Springs.
Oliver played baseball with North Springs Little League at North Community Park from the time he was nine-years-old until he was a teen. His coach, Sal DiMartino, coached him for four seasons and said that Oliver was always making everyone laugh in the dugout. When DiMartino told Oliver’s father Manuel about North Spring’s dedication to his son, he was in tears and “completely touched.”
On March 2, the board of directors, coaches, managers, and Oliver’s family and friends were all there to see a sign made by North Springs which said “Joaquin Oliver ‘Guac’ Ball Field,” a nickname that was given to Oliver throughout high school.
“[Joaquin] was one of those kids where I couldn’t wait to see him become an adult to see where he would go,” said DiMartino. “If he loved you, he wasn’t afraid to show it. He was a really sweet kid.”
Because the original sign was given to the Oliver family, the new sign will be on the field by the weekend.
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