Hochman Park
Introduction
Text-to-speech Audio
Hochman Park is a wonderful place to relax, have a picnic, and play. Its nearly 7 acres has a lovely playground with innovative new equipment, picnic tables and shelters, and ball fields. There is plenty of room to throw a frisbee or just relax in the shade of mature trees.
Images
Hochman Park has one of the newest playgrounds in the city
The new play equipment at Hochman Park
Ball field at Hochman Park
Great place for a picnic!
Julius Hochman
Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
Julius Hochman (1917-2007) had a passion for baseball; throughout much of his adult life he poured his heart and wallet into that passion. It was Hochman who first organized Little League Baseball in St. Joseph in 1954. In recognition of his community service, when the city developed a new park in the east side in 1980; it was named in Hochman’s honor.
Hochman Park is a much-loved amenity in the Deer Park neighborhood. Its ball fields are busy with youth baseball games all summer. In 2002, it received a new park shelter as part of an Eagle Scout project. In 2010, the George Bode Jr. Benevolent Trust donated $30,000 for the purchase of new playground equipment for the park. In 2019, Hochman Park received another facelift, with the installation of exciting new playground equipment as part of a larger project to install innovative playgrounds in neighborhood parks.
Sources
“Julius Hochman Day is Planned,” St. Joseph News Press, May 21, 1980.
“Hochman Park Dedication Today,” St. Joseph News Press, June 1, 1980.
“Pays Tribute to Hochman,” St. Joseph News Press, June 2, 1980.
Kristi Bailey, “Boy Scout Guides Effort to Construct Park Shelter,” St. Joseph News Press, Sept. 29, 202.
“Julius Hochman, 1917-2007,” St. Joseph News Press, June 28, 2007.
St. Joseph News Press, April 6, 2010.
Brendan Welch, “New Playground at Hochman Park Sparks Wider Project to Improve Others Within the City,” St. Joseph News Press, Aug. 2, 2019.
St. Joseph News Pressl, June 2, 1980