Baseball season returns

Rick Devereux

The recent rain clouds may have dampened the fields where they play,

but the spirits of youth baseball and softball teams are up as

opening day ceremonies were celebrated at various locations in

various ways Saturday.

The pageantry of the Costa Mesa National Little League parade of

players at TeWinkle Middle School; the communal feeling of Newport

Harbor Baseball Association’s photo day at Ensign Junior High; the

past and the future coming together at Costa Mesa High for Costa Mesa

American Little League. Newport Beach Little League, along with the

Pacific Coast Fastpitch Softball League at Bonita Creek Park in

Newport Beach, either played games or celebrated openers Saturday.

All of these events symbolized what each league was hoping to

attain in the upcoming season.

“Our goal last year was to teach fundamentals,” Costa Mesa

National Little League President Greg Pearce said. “This year we want

to teach teamwork and attitude. We want the kids to win gracefully

and lose with class. They see highlights on ESPN of professionals

acting like jerks, and we want to try to teach them not to be like

that.”

The annual parade of players was the first lesson for the young

players as teams were rewarded with ribbons for the best banners and

kids who raised the most money got to choose from a variety of prizes

including a bat autographed by Angel outfielder Vladimir Guerrero and

a BMX bike and helmet.

There are 34 teams in CMNLL, an increase of two teams from last

year. The biggest change is that there are 11 T-ball teams, which is

three more than last year.

“Since our baseball league is spread out at a lot of different

fields, this is the one event that brings everyone together,” Newport

Harbor Baseball Association President Anissa Gurnee said. “We’re very

excited about the fact that teams have business sponsorships. It’s

good for the businesses, it’s good for the teams, it’s good for the

league and it’s good for the community.”

The event also had hitting and throwing clinic areas, as well as

an obstacle course.

NHBA has 645 kids on 56 teams in seven divisions.

Costa Mesa American Little League began its season by bringing out

the youngest and oldest players -- Kevin Navarro (4) and Matthew

McEachean (12) -- in a ceremony to showcase the continuity of

baseball.

“It was symbolic in that we wanted to show how kids grow in

baseball,” President Bill LeValley said. “Matthew has played every

year since he was in T-ball. We want to make this an environment

where more kids stay for all seven years of baseball.”

CMALL has 350 players on 21 teams.

The Pacific Coast Fastpitch League has already started its season.