EL Baseball Association to host Opening Day at Center Field

Date: 4/19/2010

April 19, 2010

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



EAST LONGMEADOW - Every spring, certain stimuli bring our close-to-hibernating selves out of our homes: the sound of birds chirping, the smell of fresh cut grass, the feel of the sun on our shoulders and for many, the anticipation of baseball season.

The East Longmeadow Baseball Association (ELBA) will once again be hosting its annual Opening Day celebrations to kick off the seasons of the youngest ballplayers in town -- those in the Shetland, Pinto and Mustang leagues.

Opening Day is scheduled for April 24 from 9:45 to 11:30 a.m. at Center Field (rain date is April 25 starting at 12:45 p.m.). The police department has requested there be no parking on Maple Court during the event.

"It's just a fun way to kick off the season," Pete Coolidge, a parent involved with ELBA, said. "It's meant to recognize all the players and teams of our three youngest leagues." He added that all those in the community are invited to attend the event to help start the season.

After all the teams are introduced, they will split off to attend pitching, running, batting and fielding clinics hosted by East Longmeadow High School Varsity Baseball Coach Kevin Magee and the high school baseball teams.

"We're trying to breathe some new life into the event," Coolidge explained. "Things have tended to drag on in years past, so we're making it more focused on the opening day feel. It's all about the introduction of the kids and those first pitches."

The first games of the 2010 season will follow the Opening Day ceremony during the afternoon at fields throughout town.