The last thing a group of seven-year-olds-to-teens wanted to do during school vacation week is take direction from a grown-up, but here’s hoping one group of kids were listening and will be following their instructions.
On Saturday, State Representative Don Humason told the uniformed (and colorful) athletes gathered for Opening Day of the Westfield Little League season to “play hard, play fair and have fun.”
With that, plus a good handful of other well-meaning words of grown-up wisdom (including “Let this season be one of learning and great fun,” from Father Joseph Soltysiak of St. Joseph’s church), the Little League baseball season was under way in Westfield for yet another year.
Against a backdrop of bright white 2011 state championship softball banners hanging from the Cross Street field number one backstop, area dignitaries joined WLL officials and hundreds of athletes to kick off the season that began with a noontime game later in the day.
State Sen. Mike Knapik called the day’s events and the upcoming season a “rite of spring.”
Mayor Dan Knapik, who told his audience he at one time stood at the edge of the outfield grass as part of an earlier Opening Day 35 years ago, called Westfield “Baseball Town.”
Long-time WLL President John Wheeler was among those who repeated the two words kids in attendance had been waiting to hear through fall, winter and this mild spring: “Play ball!”
For 62 years, WLL has been a youth mainstay in town, serving thousands of area boys and girls every year from April-through-June and beyond.
The Opening Day events began with a gathering of players and coach volunteers at City Hall for a parade to the Cross Street complex. With a fire truck escort and the color guard from American Legion Post 124 leading the way, baseball and softball teams walked a route that wound from Court to Broad to East Silver streets, and then finally to the lined and manicured field at Cross Street.
Once in place, Wheeler emceed the brief events before sending the players off for team photos and a full day of games in the Majors division.
WLL is made up of baseball and softball divisions ranging from Instructional to Majors to A Divsion and Seniors. Games are played almost every day of the week at Cross Street on the south side and Papermill on the north side, plus softball fields at Sadie Knox and Hampden Ponds. At the end of an extensive regular-season schedule, all-star teams are selected to represent Westfield against other cities and towns from across the state.
On Saturday, however, all ages and divisions from both sides of town marched together down streets lined with parents, grandparents and friends, plus a handful of mildly interested dogs. The teams wore old and new uniforms with names emblazoned across the front — Westfield Police, Heritage Lawn, Kiwanis, Sons of Erin, Westfield Bank, Bannish Lumber and more.
The bigger crowds were at the corner of Broad and East Silver, with the biggest crowds lining Cross Street as the teams entered the field along the third base line.
Once inside, the ceremony began with a blessing from Father Joe. An uncooperative microphone was quickly repaired, allowing for the reading of the Little League pledge by Tyler Delgado of Moose Lodge from the South Majors division. Volunteer and WLL Treasurer LuAnn Garcia read the volunteer’s pledge before the local leaders passed around the microphone.
Along with Humason and the two Knapiks, city council members Jim Brown (a member of the WLL Board of Directors) and Peter Miller were on hand, as was Adam Wright, president of the Kiwanis, the organization that started Little League in Westfield.
Mayor Knapik threw out the ceremonial first baseball pitch to Nick Garde of Kiwanis from the North Majors division, while Wright threw a perfect strike first pitch to softball player Kate Puza. Roger Benard from the Senior League was named volunteer of the year, and that began a parade of raffle awards that were presented to players who sold enough tickets to be included in the annual drawing. The Dick’s Sporting Instructional division team was recognized for selling the most tickets (780) of all the WLL teams.
For more information and to view the complete 2012 WLL schedules, visit http://westfieldlittleleague.com/ through the season.
RAFFLE PRIZE WINNERS: Mike Katachuk – $500 Savings Bond; Steve Woronecki – $250 Savings Bond; Bill Lyons – $100 Savings Bond; John Arooth – $50 Savings Bond
PLAYERS’ RAFFLE PRIZE WINNERS: Ashley Barnes, Andy Daniels – 10 speed bike; Kyle Cullon – Red Sox jacket; Mike Lurgio – Yankee jacket; Luke Baropoulos – Baseball bat; Hayley Moniz – Softball bat; Joshua Bullock – Baseball glove; Cassidy Sweeney, Brooke Frisbie, Emilio Ocasio – Bat bag; Skyler Bishop, Austin Jarret, Enders Houck – Batting gloves; Anthony Schchower – Dick’s Sporting gift certificate; Cole Boze – Dick’s Sporting gift certificate.
