MANTACHIE, Miss. -- Wish Kid Sam Farris came home Saturday to a real life “Field of Dreamsâ€. The Make-A-Wish Foundation with the help of the Ole Miss athletics department and wish sponsors Terry and Cyndi Henson gave Sam his very own baseball field in his backyard.
Sam arrived at his house in a stretch limousine Saturday at 10 a.m. to the roar of hundreds of fans, including many of the residents of Mantachie. Sam walked through the crowd to see his dream become reality with the christening of Farris Field.
Sam was presented with baseballs signed by the Ole Miss coaching staff, and properly broke in the new ballpark with a full-scale game between his own Mantachie Muddogs and the Briarcrest Saints. Sam tossed out the first pitch and served as a special team manager for the victorious Muddogs.
Derek Horne, Ole Miss Associate Athletics Director, is a former board member for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Mid-South and was contacted by the organization about Sam's special wish. Horne enlisted the aid of the Rebels’ athletics building and grounds department in the name of the wonderful cause.
“We're giving a child with a life-threatening illness an opportunity that we in athletics experience every day,†said Horne. “It's a great chance for our grounds crew and department to get involved in a worthwhile cause. Everyone was excited to be a part of it.â€
After the ground-breaking for Farris Field in early April, Barry Arrington, Ole Miss Assistant Director of Athletics Building and Grounds, brought his full staff to Mantachie to help make Sam’s wish come true.
The Ole Miss grounds crew worked over seven days at the site and were on hand early Saturday to put the finishing touches on the fenced field, which includes a scoreboard and bleachers. Vendors also stepped in and provided all the necessary supplies.
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