Pitcher Park

A petition from 110 residents who said Pitcher Park was being neglected prompted the city to do maintenance work there. The city replaced burned out lights, fixed park facility door handles and repaired seating. Roger Young said he and other nearby residents would also like to see the park's barn repainted.

It feels like someone's backyard, largely because it was. The fruit of the strawberry guava tree was perfect for Alice Pitcher's compote. The coffee bush? One of her husband's amusements. And who but a home gardener -- or a young child -- would have the patience for a loquat tree? Such a silly fruit it gives, more seed than anything, just sweet enough to lure another bite.

It feels like someone's backyard, largely because it was. The fruit of the strawberry guava tree was perfect for Alice Pitcher's compote. The coffee bush? One of her husband's amusements. And who but a home gardener -- or a young child -- would have the patience for a loquat tree? Such a silly fruit it gives, more seed than anything, just sweet enough to lure another bite.

A petition from 110 residents who said Pitcher Park was being neglected prompted the city to do maintenance work there. The city replaced burned out lights, fixed park facility door handles and repaired seating. Roger Young said he and other nearby residents would also like to see the park's barn repainted.

Whether you're talking about year-old parks or century-old buildings, the city of Orange is Pitcher perfect. Noon to 1: Pitcher Park is only three city lots, but it combines an arboretum, honey house and fire-and-farm museum. Laurence and Alice Pitcher donated the property to the city in 1988; Laurence's parents originally purchased the property in 1912. The Pitchers' barn and honey house were rebuilt before the park was dedicated in December, 1992.

The City Council this week authorized a grant application to raise $38,000 for improvements at Pitcher Park. The action allows the Department of Community Services to apply for a state grant that provides funding for recreational facilities in urban areas. Community Services has already raised $377,000 in developer's fees and $100,000 from a county urban park grant for the development of the park.

ANGELS' BRIAN COOPER (2-0, 3.21 ERA) vs. DODGERS' CHAN HO PARK (5-4, 4.48 ERA) Edison Field, 1 p.m. TV--Channel 11. Radio--KLAC (570), KXTA (1150), KWKW (1330), XPRS (1090). * Update--The Angels do not have fond memories of Park, the Dodger right-hander who tried to karate-kick Tim Belcher after the Angel pitcher tagged Park on his way to first base in Dodger Stadium last season, sparking a bench-clearing brawl between the teams.

The Old Town neighborhood is famed for its Victorian homes and quaint shops. But now it will also be known as the home of the city's first museum. Pitcher Park, at the southwest corner of Cambridge Street and Almond Avenue, contains 33 types of vegetation, as well as restorations of the original barn and honey house built on the property by Orange pioneers Henry and Grace Pitcher.

Luis Gonzalez is baseball's best home run hitter, at least for today. Gonzalez, who has crept up behind Barry Bonds in the race to break Mark McGwire's record, beat Sammy Sosa, 6-2, in the finals Monday night to win the All-Star Home Run Derby. "I was kind of in a fog, especially considering the guys I was going against the last couple of rounds," Gonzalez said. "I was so nervous in my first home run derby. I just wanted to get past the first round, then the second round, I was thinking, 'Geez.'

Whether you're talking about year-old parks or century-old buildings, the city of Orange is Pitcher perfect. Noon to 1: Pitcher Park is only three city lots, but it combines an arboretum, honey house and fire-and-farm museum. Laurence and Alice Pitcher donated the property to the city in 1988; Laurence's parents originally purchased the property in 1912. The Pitchers' barn and honey house were rebuilt before the park was dedicated in December, 1992.