The Friends of Doubleday would like to breathe some new life into their efforts to create an endowment for Doubleday Field.

The Friends of Doubleday, an Ohio-based not-for-profit, has been selling personalized paving bricks to be installed in an apron around the entrance to the grandstand. The board of trustees approved the plan years ago after months of debate. The plan calls for proceeds from the sale of the pavers to be used to fund the endowment intended for non-budgeted capital expenses at the field.

Tuesday the Doubleday Field committee discussed a letter to Mayor Carol Waller from Thom Lach, one of the founders and current executive director of the Friends of Doubleday.

In the letter, Lach said his father has encountered health problems, two board members have resigned and his own business commitments have become more demanding leaving less time to focus on the project.

"While it is fair to say that the goal was to move things along much farther and faster, but in light of the issues with the startup of the campaign and the fallout of 911, we have accomplished quite a lot, in my opinion," Lach wrote. "Our belief in the potential of this project has been unwavering and represents a significant opportunity for Doubleday and the people of Cooperstown."

The group, he wrote, has $70,000 in proceeds set aside for use on non-budgeted items for the field.

"Everything was going great and 9/11 hit and charity went in a different direction," said Doubleday Field committee chairman Stu Taugher.

Members of the Friends of Doubleday have done a great deal for the field over the year, including buying a new scoreboard, he said.

But Taugher was not enthusiastic about taking over the project and continuing to sell the personalized pavers.

"It seems clumsy for us to take over something like that," Taugher said.

"I don't think there's anybody in Cooperstown who would want to take it over," said committee member Howard Talbot.

Taugher suggested that rather than take over the project, the village could use the $70,000 to re-locate the bathrooms at the grandstand which was one of the goals the Friends had identified.

The Friends had some preliminary architect's drawings showing the bathrooms moved to the left side of the grandstand and a small gallery where the bathrooms are currently located.

Taugher said moving the bathroom to the left side would mean the first thing people see as they approach the field would not be the bathroom. It would also allow them to connect the bathrooms to the dugouts so players would not have to walk around.

"We could go ahead and get the bathroom corrected," he said. "We could get at least that part of it done."

The Friends may be willing to turn the money over to be used for the field with the understanding that it would be used for the bathroom component of their renovation proposal, said committee member Dale Petroskey. He also suggested honoring Lach's father, Dr. Ralph Lach, who was the driving force behind the creation of the Friends of Doubleday.

"They've done a wonderful thing and need to recognized," he said.

"We could look to the restrooms and forget the pavers. I think they're a dead duck," Talbot said.

Lach said Wednesday morning that the Friends would like the village to recognize they have limitations preventing them from achieving the maximum from the project.

"For the project to be successful, we need new blood," Lach said.

The friends have established a solid foundation for the project and now need a chairperson with the time and energy to take it to the next level.

"We gave it a darn good try considering all that happened," he said.

Lach said he still believes the project offers an excellent opportunity for the village as evidenced by the $70,000 they have raised.

He said there are still between 100 and 150 pavers which have been made and will be shipped to Cooperstown from Idaho sometime in May for installation.

Lach also said he would be happy to meet with village officials to determine the future of the project.

Mayor Waller was out of town and could not be reached for comment.