Punxsutawney Phil may have seen his shadow this week, signaling six more weeks of winter ahead, but the Cranbury Plainsboro Little League is holding its third annual open house this Friday, February 5, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Cranbury School, and to the boys (and girls) of summer, that can only mean one thing: baseball and softball season is just around the corner!
Those who love baseball have their reasons. There is something about the sounds: the crack of the bat, the satisfying thwunk of a catch, the growl of the umpire, the roar of the crowd. There is something about the smells: the concession stand, the leather of a well-worn glove, fresh-cut grass on a soft, summer night. There is a mathematical beauty in the angle of the bases and the diamond itself, the arc of the ball, in the pitch counts, strikes, runs, and the choreography of nine players putting those numbers together for a win.
Larry Crossey, a Plainsboro father of three, CPLL board member, and long-time manager and coach, remembers hours of summer baseball growing up in Pittsburgh. “What was magical about it was that one or two kids would decide to play a game, grab their gear, and begin walking to the field. Kids would appear seemingly out of nowhere and by the time we got to the field there were more than enough to play. We never had to recruit kids; everyone wanted to play. In today’s world where play-dates are the norm, kids found a way to gather, organize, and play a game for hours.”
Larry also sees magic in baseball’s almost endless variations. “A single kid can throw or hit a ball against a wall. If another kid showed up, we could play what we called fast pitch with a pitcher and batter. If more wanted to play, we could move to a yard, parking lot, or field. The balls could be plastic, rubber, or leather. Bats could be plastic, wood, aluminum, or even broomsticks. Equipment never limited the game; you played with whatever was available. Be it a single tennis ball or traditional baseball, the differences changed the game slightly which added interest and challenge.”
His son, Zach, a CPLL major leaguer, likes the social aspect of baseball. “I like meeting new kids. Games are fun because you get to use what you learned in practice.” His sister, Lauren, a fourth-grader at Millstone River School, plays softball. “I like getting better every year and playing with girls who are getting better too. It’s more fun when we make plays together.”
Baseball also means family time for the Lockwoods in Plainsboro. Tim and his wife, Maria, have three children in CPLL: 11-year-old Jeremy in the majors, 8-year-old Justin in Double A, and 6-year Jillian who is playing softball for the first time this season. Like Larry, Tim also has fond childhood memories of baseball and long summer nights. “You didn’t go home until you were hollered to for dinner,” he recalls.
Tim and his two older brothers were coached by their dad in Little League, and when he was 12, Tim played on the All-Star team, just as his son Jeremy does today. Tim played as a first baseman through high school and then, as far as he was concerned, hung up his cap. He was coaxed out of retirement four years ago by Pat McCormick, another CPLL board member.
“When he asked me if I wanted to coach, I told him I don’t know, I haven’t been in the game for a while. And then I said, okay, it will be fun, and sure enough, now I’m hooked. I look forward to it all day long and I’m happy when it’s five o’clock and I can go running out the door and relive my youth. I have as much fun coaching as I did playing. And that’s what I try to instill with the kids. We’re out there to win and that’s certainly part of it, but at the end of the day, what you remember is that you had fun.”
Fun and fond memories are what baseball means for Plainsboro dad Bob Bruno, whose two sons play for CPLL. Seven-year-old Griffin is in first grade; nine-year-old Max, now in fourth grade, started playing T-ball when he was only five. This season will be a bittersweet one for Bob and his family, their first without his dad, Louis, rooting on the team. Lou, as he was affectionately known to all, passed away in December at the age of 73.
“Not seeing him there at the games, smiling and having a great time, that’s when it will really hit,” says Bob. “He loved baseball. He taught us so much about the game and about life in general.” Lou coached Bob as he grew up playing Little League in East Brunswick. Bob continued playing through American Legion, at East Brunswick High School and Seton Hall University.
Bob says two of baseball’s biggest life lessons are about patience and teamwork. “You have to work together. No one can hit a 10-run home run by himself. It’s everybody doing his part. As for patience, you have to wait for your turn at bat, and when you’re out in the field, you never know when your time is going to come and you’ve got to make the big play.”
Bob misses his dad but will always carry with him the happy memories of their times together, some of the most precious built around the game of baseball. “I had a great relationship with my dad, and I’ll always remember him coming to the games, cheering on not just my kids but everyone else’s kids and saying things like what a good little ball player, what a great hit. We were the best of friends. You wish to have the same memories with your kids because you know how much it meant to you.”
Third annual CPLL Open House, Friday, February 5, 7 to 9 p.m. at the Cranbury School off Main Street in Cranbury. League officials will answer questions and provide information about the 2010 CPLL baseball and softball seasons. Information will also be available on the umpire and safety programs. Entertainment will be provided by Boomer of the Trenton Thunder.
Also snacks of donuts and coffee and hot chocolate; tunes with a baseball and winter theme; and prizes to be raffled. For information visit www.cpll.org or call 609-577-2925.
