Despite April’s fickle weather, taunted by nippy winds off the crest of Mount Washington or grungy stormy days, baseball is back!
The hardy faithful will endure Casco Bay’s fitful breezes and sit bundled through nighttime innings as the Sea Dogs prowl Hadlock Field. The reigning Eastern League Champions return with several new faces, reflecting the Red Sox’s revitalized minor league system with several promising rookies.
Before the first pitch has been thrown at Hadlock, there has been a voice of dissent concerning the construction of a clubhouse for the Sea Dogs in the right field section. The Portland Taxpayers Association apparently feels money thus committed should be better spent for other needs of the city.
Portland has done a remarkable job in hosting a minor league team of the Boston Red Sox. Yes, money has been spent and will be spent. If Portland had not done it, or committed itself to support of the franchise, some other city would do it.
Sports franchises do not locate at various spots either to boost the local economy or enhance the host city. They spot the professional sports team where it will best serve the programs and needs of the parent organization. If the operation is as successful as Portland’s has been, it’s money well spent.
The Boston Red Sox is New England and don’t think for a second that Portland’s good fortune with the Sea Dogs is not noted with interest in Manchester, where a comparable fan base exists. Now that the city has an Eastern League franchise, I’m sure there are interests in the New Hampshire urban area that affiliation with the Red Sox would be more promising than the current association with the Toronto Blue Jays via the Fisher Cats.
Taken across the spectrum of professional sports, Portland’s spending for the Sea Dogs is relatively no more or no less than for various levels of play in other towns and cities. The positive impact can’t be understated.
Simply put, baseball, or any other competitive sport at any level, is fun. From under the sun at Hadlock, the Pirates at the Civic Center or the various offerings of high school or college, sports is fun. The last time I looked, having fun was a reliable tonic, easily enjoyed. In these hurdy-gurdy days of urging from every quarter, there’s nothing wrong with fun.
I grew into baseball on the rock-infested infield of Crosby Park, where every summer afternoon, kids from all over town gathered for a pick-up game. Our baseballs were often friction-taped relics of better days and the bats of doubtful lineage, cracked or splintered beyond use by members of the American Legion- sponsored team in the Eastern Maine League. Swinging those heavy bats added mystique to the game. Despite frequent arguments, fierce ball and strike confrontations and make-do facilities, we played a lot of baseball without supervision and playoffs in a season that lasted all summer.
When Little League baseball became popular enough to warrant interest in our town, we looked into it as a recreational program. We contacted the state director and the information we gained was both startling and disappointing. We were advised that we could have one team in a league, subject to Little League rules, even indicating other communities we could include in the league.
We wanted a true baseball program, where all boys could take part (this was before girls were included) so we eventually had six local teams plus two from summer camps in the area and our season ran from late May to late August. There were no playoffs, no all-star team and the winning team was so noted at a season-ending cookout for players and parents. We started with T-shirts, but in our second year, furnished regular baseball uniforms. As our director, the late Fred Quigley said, “If they’re going to play baseball, they should look like ball players.”
Ours was a low-key program aimed at fun for those taking part. Never did we tell an 8- or 9-year-old youngster, with a brand new glove or mitt, that he wasn’t good enough to play.
We had no champions or most valuable players, but we did have a great number of happy kids building lifetime memories.
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