York Revolution to honor late Louis Appell Jr.

And as the site for the 5,200-seat stadium for the York Revolution was being chosen more than a decade ago, Appell’s “quiet leadership behind the scenes was important in keeping the momentum going” toward building the facility, said Eric Menzer, York Revolution team president.

So Menzer said it would be appropriate to name a section of the minor-league team’s park for Appell, who died last June. The York County agency that owns the stadium agrees.

The center-field lawn area at the ballpark will be named for Appell, and that’s just the beginning.

A plaque also will be created and placed at an entrance to that stadium section, and a 250-foot long garden of white roses – Appell had a strong love for his hometown of York, the White Rose City – will be placed in time for the 2017 season along a walkway at the top of the newly-named Appell Lawn.

The garden will be planted and the lawn area dedicated to Appell at the Revolution’s April 28 home opener, Menzer said.

The plaque will be made and dedicated at a later date, Menzer told the York County Industrial Development Authority, the stadium’s owners, during the IDA’s Tuesday meeting.

The Revolution and IDA will split the cost of the effort, which is not to exceed $30,000, Menzer said.

Appell passed away last June at age 92. The well-known businessman, philanthropist and community leader supported York, playing a major role in such downtown York efforts as the building of the baseball stadium and the renovation of the Strand Capitol Performing Arts Center.

This spring, the Strand will begin operating under a new organizational banner, The Appell Center for the Performing Arts.

It was Appell who saw the potential for the theater complex in the heart of downtown York, at George and Philadelphia streets, back in the early 1970s, when it was in poor condition and the city was only a few years removed from divisive race riots, Menzer noted.

Regarding the baseball stadium, Appell was instrumental in getting the IDA involved as the park’s developer and owner, and also made significant financial contributions, Menzer said: “Not just making it happen, but making it happen with a level of quality that is unusual.”