Baseball field to be named for fallen 'Big Red One' Soldier

By Chad L. SimonMay 19, 2017

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Before Pvt. Randol S. Shelton joined the U.S. Army, he and his older brother, Bryan, grew up playing baseball at Kennedy Field less than two blocks from their home. That baseball field will be named Randy Shelton Field in honor of him during a May 20 ceremony.

Growing up in the Chicago suburb of Schiller Park, Shelton spent many hours and days playing baseball at Kennedy Field.

"When he was younger, baseball was his favorite sport," said Bryan Shelton, Randol's father. "He played little league baseball there. I remember when the kids were young we would walk over to watch the games."

After Shelton outgrew the little league field, less than two blocks from his house, he and his friends would still visit the part to play basketball and hang out.

As the Global War on Terrorism continued in Iraq, Shelton enlisted in the Army in 2005.

"Like any parents, we were scared of him joining, especially during wartime," his father said. "I went to the recruiting office with him. He pretty much already had his mind set that he wanted to join.

"I told him to take a little time and think about it. A couple months later I went back to the recruiting offices with him and he joined."

After Shelton completed basic combat training and infantry training to become a disciplined infantry Soldier, he was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, at Fort Riley, Kansas.

Upon his arrival, Shelton soon deployed with his fellow "Big Red One" brethren to Baghdad in support of the Global War on Terrorism in February 2007. The young Soldier stood out to retired Sgt. Maj. Greg Dailey, Company C, 2nd Bn., 16th Inf. Regt., as the unit trained for its deployment.

"He was a good, young kid," Dailey said. "He was confident, but squared away. I was always out watching the training. He was a jokester. He liked to laugh. He would get other people to laugh when training got to the point where you were tired and exhausted."

While deployed to Iraq in September 2007, Shelton succumbed to injuries suffered from an improvised explosive device when the Humvee in which he was the mounted gunner was hit. Shelton died from his injuries on Sept. 4.

As the 10-year anniversary of Shelton's death nears, his childhood field will be named in his honor. Friends, family, local politicians and even former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn plan to be in attendance.

Months ago, Mike Caffero, a childhood friend of Randol's father, searched for a way for people to remember the fallen Soldier. Mike and Bryan become even closer following Randol's death, according to Caffero.

"My goal was to remember Randy forever, and anybody who would ever go there would read the sign and recognize that he is a local hero," Caffero said. "We have had so many (killed in action) since we went into Afghanistan and they all need to be remembered, but Randy is from my hometown."

After contacting a member of the parks board about naming the field after Randol, Caffero contacted his childhood friend to see how he felt about the idea. Bryan gave his approval so he and Caffero set out on the process that took several months to accomplish. After receiving support for the renaming from the village recreation board, the idea was then presented to the Parks, Recreation and Facilities Board and its director, John Bealer.

"Our board approved and supported the idea," Bealer said. "The board forwarded the idea onto the board of trustees and the mayor (of Schiller Park) who also agreed to the idea of doing this, and an ordnance was passed by the village dedicating the field to Randy Shelton."

The private's father said the Shelton family was honored to have been approached about the field being renamed, and for several boards to approve the renaming.

"We are excited to see the baseball field named after our son," Shelton's father said. "They don't change parks and recreation areas very often in someone's honor. I think Randy would have got a kick out of it.

"It was a big decision on their part to change the name of the field. It had been Kennedy forever. It is something that will last forever so it is a huge honor."

Daily feels the field being named after one of his fallen Soldiers is an honor as well.

"I think it is awesome and phenomenal that his hometown wants to honor him and his service by naming a field after him," Dailey said. "He was big into baseball, softball and sports here. I think it is a great testament to who he was prior to the military, and then what he did in the military and his sacrifice. It is a phenomenal testament to his character and who he was as a person."

Though Randol can no longer visit the field he once spend so many hours playing in, his father still visits the area often.

"I am usually at the park almost every day," Bryan said. "Actually, now I walk the dog there a lot. I have a lot of good memories when the boys played baseball there."

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