Downtown Little League Kicks Off 33rd Season with Gala Opening Night
The great Leo Durocher once said, “baseball is like church. Many attend, few understand.” But many will attend and everybody will understand tonight (Friday, April 4), when more than 1,000 kids, plus many more parents will gather at the Battery Park City ballfields for an opening night celebration of the 33rd season of Downtown Little League (DLL).
“We have 1,100 players on 82 teams this year,” says league president Mori Ninomiya, “plus more than 300 coaches and other volunteers.” He notes that this makes Lower Manhattan’s hometown baseball conference, “either the largest or the second largest Little League in America. Every year, we trade that title with another organization in Chicago. But for many years, we’ve consistently been the largest in the northeast.” He adds the non-profit governing body of the sport, Little League Baseball, Inc., “actually sent a delegation of representatives to visit us a few years ago, to ask how we attract and retain so many kids.”
One reason for this success may be an emphasis on inclusion. “We have an every-kid-plays policy, with no questions asked,” Mr. Ninomiya explains. This translates into scholarships for any family facing financial hardship, and a Challengers’ Team for kids with disabilities. (The League’s ordinary price structure is $200 for the season, which includes uniforms, plus clinics, and winter workouts.) “We take very seriously our charter and our mission statement, which says we are here to serve the community,” he says.
“We also create opportunities for families that want to compete seriously,” Mr. Ninomiya adds, citing as an example two girls’ softball squads from last year (the 10-under and 12-under teams) that won their district titles.
Tonight’s festivities (which begin at 5pm) will start with the national anthem, and also include field games for younger kids (hosted by Manhattan Youth), a speed gun to clock fast pitchers, hair braiding, temporary tattoos, a sign competition (complete with art supplies), plus a free pack of Topps baseball cards for every kid. For more information, or to register, please visit the Downtown Little League online.