SOMERS POINT — Dozens of young athletes observed a rite of spring May 1 on the baseball and softball fields of Somers Point during opening day.
Members from every team, from T-ball players as young as 4 to baseball players as old as 13 and softball players as old as 14, lined the baselines as an announcer called their team names and coaches before the season.
League President Matt Charles said there are 205 youths registered for 19 teams from T-ball ages 4 to 6, baseball ages 7 to 13 and softball ages 7 to 14. Each team will play about 12 games in the coming weeks.
Youth play in Little League District 16, which encompasses all of Cape May County and most of Atlantic County. The four T-ball teams play each other, while baseball ages 7 to 12 play inter-league with Linwood and 13-year old baseball plays Northfield and Linwood.
Charles said the league will form a tournament team of players from the three towns for the summer to play teams from around the region.
Softball plays Northfield and Margate.
Charles said the opening day ceremony is an attempt to get as many of the players together in one spot as possible to celebrate the season.
“We’re trying to get more people involved, coordinate with the city. It’s nice for the kids to have the fanfare,” he said.
The league has 65 to 70 registered volunteers, about 45 of whom are coaches and the rest fill in at the snack stand or as board members.
“We have more volunteers this year than at any time in history,” Charles said.
Every player pays a registration fee, which goes toward insurance for each team and uniforms.
“We try to keep them as low as possible,” Charles said, noting fundraisers and snack bar sales go toward paying umpires.
Retired Somers Point Police Officer Keith MacEwan threw out the first pitch.
MacEwan, who served as a Somers Point police officer for 25 years, is battling stage 4 prostate cancer.
– STORY and PHOTOS by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
