4/2/2008

Berlin Little League Set to Kick-off 40th Season
By Andy Berges

With the coming of April also comes opening day of the Major League Baseball season and of Berlin Little League's 40th season. Opening day for Berlin's 2008 Little League Baseball season is scheduled to commence on Saturday, April 19.

Little League Baseball was founded by a Williamsport, PA resident named Carl Stotz in 1939. The original league consisted of only three teams: Lycoming Dairy, Lindy Lumber and Jumbo Pretzel, managed by Stotz, George Bebble and Bert Bebble respectively.  The games were played on a vacant lot near the outfield fence of Bowman Field, which housed the Minor League Baseball farm team of the Philadelphia Phillies' organization. In the first Little League game ever played on June 6, 1939 Lindy Lumber trounced Lycoming Dairy 23-8.

A second league was formed the following year and by 1946 the Little League organization had expanded to 12 different leagues in various cities throughout the state of Pennsylvania. In 1947 the Little League held its first ever World Series and the game was won by the Maynard Midgets of Williamsport.  By 1953 the Little League had gained enough popularity throughout the U.S. to televise its first World Series on CBS. Jim McKay, a "rookie" announcer at the time called the game. The game was also broadcast on ABC radio with Howard Cosell at the mike announcing the play-by-play.

Birmingham, AL lays claim to being the first Little League World Series champion team by narrowly defeating Schenectady, NY 1-0.  Joey Jay, who also played that year for Middletown, CT boasts the honor of being the first Little League Baseball player ever to also play for a Major League Baseball team, the Milwaukee Braves.

Forty years ago, in 1968 Ray Coates, Jim Barrett and Jack Pruitt founded and chartered the Berlin Little League Baseball organization. During Berlin's inaugural season the league consisted of only a handful of teams, but in the upcoming 2008 season the league is comprised of numerous teams divided into separate leagues by age groups. The 5 leagues include Tee-Ball League (5-6 year olds), Pitching Machine League (7-8 year olds), Minor League (9-10 year olds), Major League (11-12 year olds) and Junior League (13-14 year olds).

Maryland's Little League Baseball organization is well structured and divided into eight district divisions. Berlin is one of ten organizations in Maryland District 8, Eastern Shore division.  The others are Crisfield, Delmar, East Wicomico, Fruitland, Pocomoke, Princess Anne, Snow Hill, West Salisbury and Willards.

Berlin's teams had an exceptional season last year. Their Minor League All Star team concluded its season as Maryland State Champion runner up and its Major League team ended their season as runner up to the West Salisbury team in the District 8 Finals.

The West Salisbury team continued on to become Maryland State Champions, as well as Mid-Atlantic Champions. They qualified to play in the Little League World Series, played at Little League Baseball's birthplace in Williamsport, PA., but they lost both games and were eliminated from the competition. Their National playoff games were televised on ESPN

Berlin's Little League Baseball organization is managed and led by President, Norman Bunting, Treasurer Frank Ruggiere and Player's Agent Ken Church. The league's practices and games are held at North Worcester Athletic Complex. The Berlin's Lions Club, one of the league's major sponsors owns the park and leases it to the Town of Berlin. The opening day ceremony on April 19 will be an all day event for the town.

The day will begin with all of the league's players marching in a parade covering a distance of approximately one mile, starting at the Berlin Fire Company and ending at the fields at the athletic complex where games will be played all day. Mayor Thomas Cardinale is expected to throw out the first ceremonial pitch to commence the season as he did last year. The Berlin's Lions Club located near the fields, will be hosting a small fair and selling food and drinks

Little League Baseball is set to begin its 70th season and has undergone many changes throughout the years. Little League has grown from just three teams in its inaugural season to approximately 200,000 teams located in all 50 American states and more than 80 countries worldwide.

Although there have been many changes over the years one fact that remains constant over time is that kids love playing baseball, the game is a sport that teaches kids important qualities such as discipline, sportsmanship, confidence and character and these qualities will serve to guide them during their adolescent years, while helping to mold them into responsible adults.