One of the annual rites of spring in America is the opening of a new Little League season. With more than 6,500 leagues in 84 countries, Little League is a worldwide phenomenon.
But this year, a global pandemic has brought a halt to the game. Little League’s International Board of Directors recently issued an advisory asking all leagues to “suspend/delay” the start of the 2020 season until May 11.
The statement reads in part, “This is much bigger than Little League. The Covid-19 (coronavirus) is rapidly changing the way that we, as global citizens, think, act, gather, learn and live our daily lives. And, yes, that also means how we play Little League.”
In Lynn, Pine Hill Little League President Jill Avery said the league will be ready to play.
“We’ve booked our photographer and ordered uniforms. If we don’t use them this year, we’ll have them for next year,” Avery said. “Eventually, we will get back to playing baseball, but we can’t hold tryouts or do anything as we have to follow the rules.”
Avery said that yellow police tape surrounds Pine Hill’s home field, Gallagher Park, and that even the basketball hoops have been removed.
“At this point, it’s all about the kids losing an opportunity to be together, especially the 12-year-olds who may lose their last chance to play,” said Avery. “It’s not about the all-stars. It’s about kids not playing a game they love.”
Saugus Little League has put a hold on equipment and uniform purchases. Registration is down by about 100 players. Some registered players are asking for refunds.
“We don’t know what the final number will be so we decided not to order anything. You have to think about finances,” said President Tom Whittredge.
Like Avery, Whittredge said the all-star season isn’t a concern.
“That’s only 12 kids, so I care about what the 300 players will miss if the season gets canceled,” Whittredge said.
Lynnfield Little League President Rob Higdon said it comes down to doing the right thing.
“Kids will be disappointed, but we are living through an unprecedented event,” he wrote in a statement posted on the league’s website. “I would hate to cancel the season and pray it doesn’t come to that, but ultimately we need to do what’s right.”
Peabody West Little League President John Horgan is worried about the sponsors.
“Support from Peabody and other local businesses is the life-blood of youth sports organizations,” Horgan said. “Our sponsors need our support. They are always there for us and we must be there for them now.
“The situation remains fluid and we will continue to work behind the scenes to prepare for the season,” Horgan continued. “I am cautiously optimistic and hope it will come sooner rather than later.”
Forty-six years ago, another force much bigger than baseball brought Little League to a screeching halt.
Her name was Janine Cinseruli, a 10-year-old Peabody girl. She was thrust into the national spotlight in 1974 when she fought the league’s antiquated boys-only rule. She filed a landmark complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) after she was barred from registering with the Peabody chapter. Little League across the state was shut down until she won the case, opening the door for girls across the nation to play ball.
Cinseruli’s “15 minutes of fame” are stored in a carefully constructed scrapbook of news clippings and photos. A videotape recording of a 1974 interview with Channel 5’s Natalie Jacobsen is posted on YouTube.
“I held my breath when Natalie asked me if I wanted to be a boy. I blurted out ‘I just want to play.'”
