Double Angel Foundation
Foundation honors boys’ legacy, love of baseball
By Chris Michlewicz; photos courtesy of Gameday Baseball
Double Angel Ballfield, just east of the border between Castle Pines and Parker, is dedicated in honor of two boys who died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
More than 20 years after a tragic accident took the lives of two young brothers from Parker, a foundation that honors their memory and love for baseball is still going strong.
The Double Angel Foundation was named for Logan and Dillon Dixey, who died of carbon monoxide poisoning in 2000 while swimming near the back of a houseboat on a family vacation to Lake Powell.
Their parents, Ken and Bambi Dixey, spent the next several years raising money to build a memorial baseball field on the southwest end of Parker, and lobbying lawmakers to create standards to prevent further deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning.
“We got a lot of things changed,” Ken said. “I do feel like the boat manufacturers have come a long way. We accomplished a lot of what we wanted to do.”
The Dixeys worked with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and for years attended the Denver Boat Show to raise awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide. A generator on the family’s rented houseboat vented underneath the swim deck, which is no longer allowed.
While the foundation still owns the Double Angel Ballfield near Hess Road and Chambers Road, it now leases the field to Gameday Baseball, which manages the baseball programs and leagues. The money from the lease agreement – as well as private donations – funds baseball scholarships that provide opportunities to play baseball for kids whose families would not otherwise be able to afford the associated costs.
The family, including Logan and Dillon’s two older brothers, shares a passion for baseball. The picturesque setting at Double Angel Ballfield, with a bronze statue of two boys participating in the national pastime, is a perfect way to pay tribute – as is the scholarship program.
Ken said Gameday Baseball is a “great fit” to manage operations at the ballfield.
“They have a mission statement that’s similar to ours, they take care of the kids, they have top-notch coaches, and they foster the same ideas about bringing kids up properly,” said Ken, a retired dentist.
The money generated from the leagues and tournaments goes a long way.
“We try to get as many kids introduced to the game as we can, because little league fees can be high,” Ken said.
For more information or to donate, visit www.doubleangel.org.
