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Golden Giants home named after local hero

The late Robertson, who played pro ball for seven years before returning to Topeka and serving as athletic director at Washburn, is being honored by the summer-collegiate squad.The summer-collegiate Topeka Golden Giants announced that their home at Lake Shawnee Baseball Complex will be named Jerry Robertson Field in honor of the Washburn University alum.

In conjunction with that the Golden Giants will host a special exhibition game on Wednesday, June 2, at 7:10 pm.. at Lake Shawnee. This event will be the first annual Jerry Robertson Classic, as the Topeka Golden Giants will take on the Washburn University All-Star Alumni team.

Before the game at 6 p.m. there will be a dedication ceremony for the field namiong there will be a ceremony to dedicate the big diamond at Lake Shawnee Baseball Complex, Jerry Robertson Field.  The Shawnee County Parks and Rec Foundation is honoring Robertson and family with the naming with plans to fund a $250,000 endowment to help maintain the field as a first class baseball facility for high school and college age players.

Robertson, a Washburn Alum, was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 27th round of the 1965 amateur draft. He went on to spend 2 season in the Majors with the Montreal Expos and Detroit Tigers.  

For the seven years that he played professional baseball, Robertson worked for the Topeka YMCA in the winter months. This connection made it an easy decision for Robertson to return to Topeka and accept the position of Assistant Executive Director of the YMCA and in 1972, Robertson was named Executive Director. Immediately after taking this position Jerry commenced a capital campaign to build the North Topeka YMCA. Robertson was Director of the YMCA until 1982 when he was named the Director of Athletics at Washburn University shortly after being inducted into the Washburn University Athletic Hall of Fame. 

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