Press box at Costa Mesa High stadium to be named after late youth football volunteer Ed Baume

Trustees of the Newport-Mesa Unified School District voted unanimously Tuesday to name the press box at Costa Mesa High School’s new sports stadium after the late Ed Baume, who contributed more than 50 years of service to Costa Mesa High and community youth football programs.

The media area will be called the Edgar C. Baume Press Box. The stadium is under construction and is expected to open by the fall.

In April, the district sought public input on a request to name the athletic facility, known as Mustangs Field, after Baume, who died in March at age 88 from complications of a stroke.

A survey on the suggestion of “Edgar C. Baume Field” or “Ed Baume Field” was made available online through May 11.

The survey drew 514 responses, of which 246 were in support of Edgar C. Baume Field and 170 favored Ed Baume Field. Ninety-eight did not support either.

A nine-member committee consisting of principals, parents and the district’s executive director of secondary education, Kirk Bauermeister, reviewed the public input.

Though Baume had a long and distinguished tenure of serving Costa Mesa Pop Warner and keeping statistics, “the committee felt that the press box was more fitting,” committee member Michael Sciacca said at Tuesday’s board meeting.

The athletic complex will host “a wide variety of sports beyond football,” added Sciacca, principal of Ensign Intermediate School in Newport Beach.

Baume, known as “Mr. Pop Warner” in Costa Mesa, dedicated decades to volunteering for the youth football program.

He also served as boosters president for football and baseball at Costa Mesa High in the 1970s, when his two sons attended the school.

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Alex Chan, alexandra.chan@latimes.com

Twitter: @AlexandraChan10