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Baseball league seeks support in neighborhood
By JON WILSON, Times Staff Writer ST. PETERSBURG -- A Little League baseball organization serving some low-income neighborhoods in Tropicana Field's shadow again is having a difficult time fielding teams. The issue isn't money. It's neighborhood support, officials say. Youngsters aren't coming out to play, and not enough parents encourage them to do so, according to officials. "We can't seem to get community participation. We've advertised in the newspapers. It's not like we don't do the same thing every year. It's not a case like it was the first couple of years of the league's existence," said Charles Dennis, president of the ThunderDome Little League. The league has been in operation since 1994. It is open to boys and girls ages 5 through 18, offering several baseball divisions based on age and skill level. But the ThunderDome League will probably field just a juniors team (13-14 years old) and a couple of "minors" teams, Dennis said. Minors teams typically offer less-formal practices and games than the other divisions, including the majors (10-12), whose end-of-season tournaments lead to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. Last week, with most organizations having completed registrations and preparing for season-opening games in a few weeks, the ThunderDome's Little League charter appeared to be in jeopardy. "It is on what we call an administrative hold. It's not a big deal," said Lance Van Auken, national Little League spokesman. "It's actually something that we get a lot of this time of year. It's because (leagues) have not yet paid their insurance bill from the 2001 seasons." Dennis said the premium of about $190 now has been paid, clearing the way for ThunderDome teams to play. "It's pretty much of a struggle every year," Dennis said. "It's not a money issue. If we had kids we'd get the sponsors." The ThunderDome League is part of District 5, covering south Pinellas County. The league's boundaries are Ninth Avenue N to 22nd Avenue S, between 37th Street and Tampa Bay. Larry "Snuffy" Smith is the District 5 administrator. He concurs with Dennis' viewpoint. "It's not his fault or his problem. Either the community supports the kids or it doesn't, and so far the community hasn't," Smith said. "They support a football team, they support basketball programs. As soon as they decide they want to support a baseball program, they'll have one," he said. Youth football programs such as the St. Petersburg 'Lil Devils, the Gibbs Junior Gladiators and the Childs Park Junior Rattlers are popular in ThunderDome neighborhoods. So is the Wildwood Florida Little Major League baseball program, which serves the same age groups as Little League. "I think right now the popularity of youth football is at one of its all-time highs because of the city's commitment," said Paul Haywood, a coach in the Junior Gladiators organization. He cited new football facilities on 31st Street S and in Childs Park. Reginald Ligon, president of the Bay Point Little League -- which has about 320 youngsters playing in several divisions -- said parental support is imperative. And he said parents at times practically have to be browbeaten to get involved. "Look. We're not baby sitters. We're here to help your children to understand all the aspects of baseball, and we need your help to do it," Ligon said. He also pointed out that few African-Americans play on area high school baseball teams, an element he believes could affect youth baseball. "(Youngsters) are going to it. They look up and think, "Dang, there's nobody playing there.' And they get discouraged," Ligon said. "They are looking for their role models, and coming through and not seeing too many on the baseball fields, and seeing more on the football fields, gravitating that way."
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From the Times South Pinellas desks |
