I am writing to expose the best-kept secret in Lynn: Babe Ruth Baseball. Unless you have someone playing or happen to drive by Bowser Complex, you don’t know the program exists.
Jeff Earp and Dave Raymond head a small group of dedicated volunteers to help the young people involved to have a clean, safe place to play during the summer.
They rake and drag the fields, cut the grass and this year, with all the rain, they added work of getting the fields water-free. They also take care of uniforms, equipment, stocking the concession stand and making sure the restrooms are clean.
For all of this, these outstanding gentlemen get a blank paycheck. They get zero pay. Not a dime. No one could afford to pay them for the countless hours spent most days at Bowser.
If that’s not enough, they took on added duties at the Grace Rogato Softball Field getting the field ready for the three high schools that play there and also helping with schedules.
Add to all this, the Holland Tournament. The Holland and Connolly families did a great job running the tourney, giving awards and scholarships in memory of the first volunteers to make the Bowser Complex possible and aiding anything to do with Lynn youth.
The tourney got too big for the families and it was announced the tourney was ending. Babe Ruth stepped up, putting together an ad book to keep the awards going. More work and more hours with still no pay.
Hopefully by exposing this secret people will realize the great work these people do and what a great impact they have had on so many young lives.
I would also like to take this time to congratulate all the coaches who volunteer their time to work with the Lynn youth. I would also like to add Pop Warner, Little League and Challenger League volunteers. All these people deserve a lot more recognition than they get.
Congratulations to Coach O’Connor, Coach Avery, Coach Hartford and their assistants for them and their teams representing Lynn, the League, their families, themselves in the Mass State tourneys in such a professional way.
I hope they next time you see these unselfish people you will offer a huge “thank you.” I am extremely proud to call them my friends.
John Hoffman, TV15 Media
Lynn
