Season opens for Babe Ruth League
Imagine hundreds of teenage boys running around with nothing to
do except get into trouble. Out on the streets
– tormenting the locals might be what they would call fun.
That’s where organizations such as Babe Ruth Baseball come in.
Babe Ruth is a baseball league for boys from ages 13 to 15. In San
Benito County, Babe Ruth has been around for 50 years.
Season opens for Babe Ruth League
Imagine hundreds of teenage boys running around with nothing to do except get into trouble. Out on the streets – tormenting the locals might be what they would call fun.
That’s where organizations such as Babe Ruth Baseball come in. Babe Ruth is a baseball league for boys from ages 13 to 15. In San Benito County, Babe Ruth has been around for 50 years.
Last Friday was opening night for the league. They hosted a fund-raising barbeque followed by the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the league in San Benito County – one of the first to be founded in the state of California. The first pitches at the opening night were thrown out by people that played in the league during its first season in Hollister 50 years ago. Their pitches were thrown to grandchildren who are playing Babe Ruth this year.
“It was a very special moment,” said Drew Houston, who is volunteering as a head coach for his son’s team, the Cardinals.
A lot of the parents didn’t even know the league has been around for half a century.
Christine Scaglione, whose son Thomas is playing Babe Ruth, said she enjoyed the anniversary celebration.
“It’s very cool that they found some of the players that played 50 years ago,” said Scaglione.
Following the ceremonies players held the first game of the new season, between the Astros and the Athletics.
Felipe Davila, a 15 year old, is playing for the Astros during his last season with the league.
“It is all about the first game. Getting the fresh cleats on the soil and showing everyone what the year is going to be like,” Davila said.
Players from other teams who weren’t involved in the excitement of playing the first game still stuck around to watch the Athletics defeat the Astros 12 – 7.
“The start of the season brings a big intensity level to the game, it’s exciting to watch and be a part of [it],” Thomas Scaglione said.
There are a lot of butterflies before that first game, Drew Houston said, especially for the young kids who are new to the league.
Volunteers are a key to making youth baseball leagues work.
Charles Villasenor is one such volunteer.
“It’s the volunteers that make this happen,” Villasenor said. “There is nothing else in this town for teenage boys to do. That’s why [the league] is so important to the town.”
Villasenor flipped steaks on the grill during the barbecue fund-raiser.
Oscar Ramirez volunteered to be the coach of the Astros, a team that needed a coach at the last minute.
“I love the game. I have been a volunteer coach for countless years,” Ramirez said.
The only reason Ramirez stopped playing the game when he was younger was because he had kids. Now his kids are growing up playing baseball and learning the game from their father.
Another important aspect of the game is the umpires, and that is where Leo Espinoza, Jr. comes into the picture. Espinoza has been the chief umpire of the league for the past 15 years.
“I will do it until they run me out,” Espinoza said with a chuckle. “[The League] is a good program for the kids. I hope that we can get another field out here some day.”
The number of teams was recently reduced from 12 to 10, which equates to less kids out there playing. Another field would improve the ability for league expansion.
“Another field would do wonders for the league,” the chief umpire said.
Parents – volunteers or not – love bringing the kids out to the field.
Miguel Sahagun, grandfather to 14-year-old Daniel Arevalo, enjoyed attending his grandson’s games.
“He likes to play baseball,” Sahagun said. “Anywhere that my grandson plays, I will go to watch.”
