The Kane County Cougars present a plaque honoring former Kane County Board President Phil Elfstrom for his role in bringing a minor league baseball stadium.
Back in the day, Phil Elfstrom ran Kane County like a business.
As Kane County Board chairman and president of the Forest Perserve District for many years in the 1970s and '80s, Elfstrom was the driving force behind the creation of Settler's Hill Landfill, the environmental monitoring laboratory and a partnership with Waste Management that allowed for a ballpark to be built on Kirk Road.
For the better part of 20 years, the stadium that serves as home of the Kane County Cougars bore Elfstrom's name. That changed this year, when the ballpark was rechristened Fifth Third Bank Ballpark.
On Saturday, Sept. 1, Elfstrom was honored with the unveiling of a special bronze stadium plaque during a dedication at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark, during the game between the Cougars and Peoria Chiefs.
Elfstrom was present for the plaque unveiling, and honored as "the driving force in successfully bringing minor league baseball to Geneva."
Mike Tillmans
9:54 pm on Monday, September 3, 2012
Cheers for Phil! Love the baseball, love the bikepaths. He's done a lot for us in Kane County.
Colin C.
11:27 am on Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Congratulations Phil!! I know that they need the money but I can't help but wish that the park was still named after you. Especially after all that you went through to get it built. But I guess all the nay-sayers shut up long ago. Nothing succeeds like success, and Elfstrom Stadium (as i will always think of it) has been and will continue to be a signal success in Kane County, even if the Cubs field a team there that never wins a game.