City, Madison County Challenger Baseball Receive Governor's Cup for Long-Running Effort
The City of Edwardsville was honored Wednesday with the Governor's Cup for its support and collaboration with the Madison County Challenger Baseball Program. Edwardsville was one of four Governor's Hometown Award finalists chosen to vie for the prestigious award before a panel of judges at the State Fairgrounds in Springfield.
“It's gratifying for the City to be recognized for its support of such a worthy and inspiring program as Challenger Baseball,” Mayor Art Risavy said. “We've happily partnered with this terrific group for more than 18 years, providing
fields at no cost to ensure the joy of baseball is something that children and adults of all abilities can experience.”
The Madison County Challenger Baseball Program is part of St. Louis Challenger Baseball, a league for people with
disabilities to play the game, have fun and make friends. The Madison County games are held throughout the spring and
early summer at the City's Plummer Family Park, on a field specially designed to be accessible for all. The Challenger
organizers originally partnered with the City's Parks & Recreation Department to host games at Winston Brown Recreation Complex.
“I'm overwhelmed. It brings so much joy that it's hard to explain,” said Paul Byrd, who oversees the Madison County
Challenger Baseball Program. “You want to serve your community, and you want to serve it well. Something like this is
just the icing on the cake.”
Byrd and Buck Smith, who founded Challenger Baseball in St. Louis, were among a contingent that detailed the City's
collaboration with the Challenger program for the event judges on Wednesday afternoon. Other members of the group
included Mayor Risavy, City Administrator Kevin Head, Parks & Recreation Director Nate Tingley, Sports Superintendent
Canee' Brown, parent Jennifer Bonner and her son Justin, who plays Challenger baseball.
“Challenger Baseball is paving the way for inclusivity in Edwardsville,” said Brown, the City's sports superintendent. “To
see people of all abilities have access to a sport that they enjoy keeps the fire lit for me personally and professionally.”
Other Governor's Cup finalists included projects held in the Illinois cities of Chicago, Marion and Amboy. The longrunning Governor's Hometown Awards (GHTA) program recognizes projects that improve a community's quality of life.
Projects must be sponsored or backed by local governments and feature strong volunteer support, meet a need, and
make a definitive impact, generating a positive outcome in the community and state. The program is administered by
the Serve Illinois Commission, the Governor's Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service.
“We are humbled to have been honored with the Governor's Cup, especially given the other worthy cities and projects
that were under consideration,” Mayor Risavy added.
The City and Madison County Challenger Baseball Program will get to display the Governor's Cup for the next year
before it is handed off to the winner for the 2024 program year. A permanent road sign also will be provided that
proclaims the City as the 2023 Governor's Cup recipient.
