The End

As I rode by Charry Park on Sunday, a wave of emotions came rushing in. Earlier in the day I had penned a letter that will go to the 50 kids that played in the league last season informing them that they will have to register with a long time rival league if they wish to continue playing Little League baseball. The long time volunteer that has run things almost single handed has had enough and I will end my involvement as well.

It was a tough letter to write. Our family has been involved with the league since 1993. Both boys played under the Americans banner, as All Stars, in numerous provincial playdowns and a couple of Canadian championships.  It was hard to see the field, still covered in snow, and realize that there may never be another game played on the most intimate diamond in Thunder Bay. It made me want to rush home and give it one more try, one more push to get kids to try a great game.

Memories of the good old days flooded back. Days when we had ten teams in the younger divisions alone, when the kids in red were feared all over town as a powerhouse. When Saturday meant a day at the tree lined park, watching, umping or coaching, having a burger or flipping them. It was tough to get a seat on the bleachers as people came out in droves, many just walking or biking to the games from the surrounding neighbourhood. Honestly I would rather watch a couple teams of 12 year olds battle it out at Charry Park than any hockey game.

But the game changed and so has the world. Rules that tried to attract players pushed the more skilled kids away to summer hockey and other sports where they were allowed to be better than the other kids. Take out the skilled pitchers and the game falls apart. No one wants to watch kids walk on 4 pitches all afternoon. Throw in some parent-friendly sports like soccer and the writing was on the wall for a slow paced sport like kids baseball. Not to mention x-box, play station and other digital distractions.

I was proud to be the president and we did some great things in those years. We went from a league that struggled with decisions over which bills could be paid, to one rich with bingo money. We ran baseball all summer and into September instead of stopping just as the weather got warm enough to enjoy. We even commandeered a set of lights from an abandoned diamond and had them put up in the hopes of playing longer into the cool summer nights. We joined with another league to form a competitive all star team that traveled south to the provincials, a first in Thunder Bay. I took a lot of heat over that decision but the kids proved us right by finishing as runners up in Windsor.

I loved watching both of our boys pitch, hit home runs and win championships at Charry Park and I hope that somewhere down the road kids will find the love for the game that our family had.

All Star brothers, 1994