60th Annual South Orange Maplewood Baseball Parade

When hundreds of kids donned their hats and jerseys Saturday for the annual baseball and softball parade, they probably didn't realize they were becoming part of local history. Baseball has always been rooted in tradition and this year's opening day parade celebrated the 60th anniversary of South Orange Little League.

The weather can always make or break any baseball event but the sunny skies were a home run for Little Leaguers Saturday. The morning began with the usual chaos at the New Waterlands parking lot in South Orange where team members from 81 baseball and 31 softball teams lined up for the march. Hundreds of parents, siblings, and even family dogs followed their players through the streets of downtown South Orange like a giant swaying rainbow of brightly colored jerseys.  

Is there anything more adorable than a sea of little sluggers in uniform squealing with spirit? Marchers made their way to South Orange Avenue with police escorts and cheering fans lining the sidewalks to see the proud players in all their pre-game glory. The Maplewood Community Band and chit-chatting parents provided a lively soundtrack for the walk. 

"The children are so excited about the start of baseball and we should support them," said Judy Nomura, who has three boys in the program, all coached by their dad, Chris. 

This year the parade ended at the newly renovated Cameron Field, across the street from the Baird Center. Cameron also holds a special place in local baseball history because both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig took swings there. Legend has it that Gehrig even whacked one over the railroad tracks.

The crowd lined the infield and listened to several local speakers make connections between past traditions and present day game goals. Both Maplewood Township Committee member Kathleen Leventhal and South Orange Village President Doug Newman welcomed the kids to the new season and encouraged them to do their best and have fun.

Lisa Rott, a local singer and former Columbia High School softball star strummed her guitar as she sang the National Anthem, which was met with cheers and hat tosses. The guest of honor at the event was Monsignor Michael E. Kelly, the headmaster at Seton Hall Prep. Monsignor Kelly was the leadoff batter and short stop for 10 year olds back in 1950 and had the first hit ever for the South Orange Little League. He went on to be an all-county player for Seton Hall Prep and the first alumnus headmaster of the school. Saturday he took the mound and threw out the first pitch to help commemorate the special anniversary.

Catching that ceremonial pitch was Chris Henry, a local baseball coach and trainer for many SOM players, who was eager to play a part in the celebration. "As someone who grew up playing here I remember when I marched in the parade…now as someone who's involved in the program, it's cool for me to be a part of the history. "

There were 150 boys enrolled in the League in 1950…today there are nearly 950 boys.   South Orange was actually one of the first leagues in the country to allow girls to play ball in 1972. The National Little League threatened to pull its support back then but South Orange stood firm and now about 300 girls play softball for the League.  

Although the day was filled with reminders of the past, members of the League are also proud of the program improvements in 2010. Craig Gruber, the Secretary of SOM Baseball says the changes to Cameron Field and two others have instilled pride in the players, as well as made it possible to play more games. "Cameron Field looks beautiful… it's the best it's ever looked. It was renovated for appearance but before when it rained, it was unusable for days, now it's sloped so the water runs off and the field is usable the next day." Other Cameron additions include a sprinkler system, and new batter's box, pitcher's mound and warning track around the field.

The League has also instituted a player call up procedure this year to help keep games on schedule. In the past, when several players were unable to attend a game, it would be canceled and rescheduling-- finding a field and umpires, and communicating new information to parents-- was difficult. Now some of the better players in the 8 to 12 year old leagues can get "called up" by older teams to pitch in for a game.

All enhancements to the program would not be possible without the town and volunteer commitment to the sport. South Orange Recreation Department Director Kate Schmidt worked tirelessly with many volunteers to make sure the parade and the season go well for all players, regardless of age or skill level. She says none of it would happen without the dedication of the volunteers, who start preparing for the next season in October. "There are upwards of 200-250 coaches, managers and parent volunteers. We have a group of individuals involved who keep a good balance between competition and fun. They do a very good job of coming up with a balance so all kids feel like they fit in."  

As the crowd dispersed at the end of the event, talk turned to the upcoming games and most seemed grateful for the beautiful weather. After all, despite the planning, rain causes the most havoc on any season.

As Gruber quips, "We've been lucky with a good group of kids and volunteers…so so far, so good. Now it's up to Mother Nature."