Faber Field

For the past several years, Faber Field has frequently been the subject of public discussion as residents debated whether the athletic fields should remain natural grass or be converted to artificial turf. Yet many who use the park every day may not realize the remarkable story behind its name.

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Before it became Captain John J. Faber Memorial Field, the property was simply known as Doremus Oval, home to countless athletic contests and community gatherings. On October 11, 1957, the Borough formally dedicated the field in memory of Captain John J. Faber, honoring a man whose influence reached far beyond his twenty-six years with the Glen Rock Police Department.

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Captain Faber devoted his life to the young people of Glen Rock. As founder and driving force behind the Glen Rock Athletic Club, he organized and managed the borough's celebrated semi-professional baseball team, The Rockers, who called Doremus Oval home. His reputation as a talented manager and respected mentor attracted some of baseball's greatest names to Glen Rock, including Hall of Famer Whitey Ford, Major League star Johnny Vander Meer, and pioneering American League player Larry Doby. To generations of local athletes, however, Captain Faber was remembered less for the famous players he brought to town than for the encouragement and opportunities he provided to Glen Rock's youth.

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Captain Faber died unexpectedly in September 1954 while still serving as a Glen Rock police officer. Three years later, more than one hundred residents gathered to dedicate the newly renamed field in his honor. During the ceremony, Mayor Frederick A. Demarest praised Faber's lifelong commitment to the community, remarking that he "will be remembered more for the work he did for youth than for his police career." The mayor concluded, "This is just the way Captain Faber would want it to be."

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The dedication reflected the deep respect the community held for Captain Faber. The monument and bronze plaque at the entrance to the field were donated by the Glen Rock Athletic Club, the organization he founded. The surrounding landscaping was contributed by the Glen Rock Fire Department and Glen Rock Local 110 of the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association. Following the ceremony, members of the Athletic Club and the Fire Department honored his memory in the most fitting way possible—with a friendly five-inning softball game on the very field that now bears his name.