The West Plains Area Dugout Club reported this week a transformational gift was made by Jim and Beth Peters of West Plains to support the construction of an outdoor athletics complex to benefit the local community.
The Peters family has partnered with the West Plains Area Dugout Club, a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2023 to promote and support baseball in the region. Through this partnership, property has been secured at 1410 Bill Virdon Blvd., locally known as the old Butler house, which was just torn down.
In honor of their late parents — property owners Jim and Nell Peters and Curtis and Julia Anna Taber — the Peters family has made a significant contribution to support the purchase of property for the complex.
“Beth and I feel certain this gift — given in honor of our parents, all educators — will be only one of many, all in support of a most important community asset, MSU-WP,” Jim Peters said. “Athletics are a wonderful byproduct of any institution. They help provide an identity for both the university and its students. We’re happy to be a part of this much-needed project.”
“This gift marks a major step toward a dedicated home for the Missouri State University-West Plains Grizzly Baseball and Softball programs and will serve as a catalyst for future growth in MSU-WP athletics," Robbie Crites, cofounder of the Dugout Club said.
Crites said initial plans include having a practice facility for Grizzly baseball ready by the start of the next fall semester. Phase two of the project will include space for Grizzly Softball, with long-term plans calling for a comprehensive outdoor sports complex that supports both programs.
MSU-WP leaders and athletics staff are joyful about the endeavor. “This is exciting news for the community, including Grizzly Athletics,” said Rachael Peterson, Director of Grizzly Athletics. “We’ve been fortunate to practice and compete at facilities offered by the City of West Plains, the West Plains R-7, and Thayer R-2 School Districts, and we’re incredibly thankful for those partnerships." Peterson said. "The leadership of Robbie and Lynn Crites with the Dugout Club, and the hundreds of supporters who are stepping up to get these programs off the ground,” Peterson said.
Dr. Dennis Lancaster, chancellor of MSU-WP, expressed deep appreciation for the Peters family’s vision and generosity.
“We are incredibly grateful to Jim and Beth Peters for their generous gift to the West Plains Dugout Club, and for their shared belief in the power of education, athletics and community,” Lancaster said. “We also thank the Dugout Club for thinking of Grizzly Athletics and their commitment to providing a space where fans, families and student-athletes can come together to enjoy the great traditions of collegiate baseball and softball.”
Lancaster emphasized the significance of the milestone not only for athletics, but for the region. “This project is about much more than building a baseball and softball complex,” he said. “It’s about strengthening our sense of place, investing in our students’ experience and further establishing MSU-WP as a hub for opportunity, community pride and regional impact. This is a legacy-building moment, and we are honored to be part of it.”
Crites said the gift to the Dugout Club has created a wave of excitement, and current and future student-athletes and the community will be positively impacted by the generosity of the Peters family. “The Dugout Club is excited to move forward with plans to develop the new sports complex that we intend to make available to the Grizzly Softball and Grizzly Baseball teams from MSU-WP upon its completion,” said Crites. “We believe this facility has the potential to enhance student life and athletic opportunities, and we look forward to continued conversations with the University as the project takes shape.
More information about the West Plains Area Dugout Club can be found at wpdugoutclub.com. To help with this project , contact Robbie Crites at westplainsareadugoutclub@gmail.com.
