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Little League sees future much like its storied past

Teams from the Belmont Heights Little League program are preparing to compete in postseason tournaments for District 13.

By ERNEST HOOPER
Published May 24, 2005

Later this summer, Belmont will play host to competitions for the district, which stretches north from East Bay to Land O'Lakes.

For other Little League programs, these are fairly common occurences in June and July. For Belmont, they are noteworthy.

At the start of the year, we weren't even sure if there was going to be a program on the fabled fields at the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and 22nd Street.

The baseball diamonds that spawned such jewels as Gary Sheffield and Dwight Gooden were producing only rancor earlier this year. Annette Jenkins, the embattled president, didn't want to relinquish power by holding a new election. She feared new officials would erase much of the revitalization work and let the park fall into disrepair - again.

Jenkins' critics said her leadership was too heavy-handed.

Officials from Little League Inc. simply wanted a resolution and threatened to pull Belmont's charter if no election was held.

Finally, members voted March 7. A new board was installed and after the initial president was ousted for having a criminal record, Artis Gambrell Jr. became the new head.

With most Little Leagues kicking off in February, Belmont's season got off to a late start on April 2. Apparently, the focus has shifted to where it should have always been: the kids.

"We had a pretty good season taking in all the circumstances and starting late," Gambrell said. "People hadn't registered; we didn't have adequate records for a lot of kids.

"We pretty much had to come in and shoot from the hip."

Gambrell is optimistic about the future, largely because he believes Belmont can recapture its glory days. He played at the park for years, and his father, Artis Gambrell Sr., coached at Belmont from 1970 to 1990.

"We're getting back to fundamentals and how things used to be," Gambrell said. "We're bringing back folks who came through the system, people who understand it's not about winning and losing, but about instilling discipline and responsibility and letting the kids come first."

At the same time, Belmont has to regain the community confidence it lost during all the arguments about leadership. During Jenkins' tenure, the city donated more than $40,000 for resodding and a new irrigation system. The Devil Rays pitched in $10,000 to improve fields, Lowe's led a $20,000 renovation of the concession stand, and Little League Baseball gave a $20,000 grant through its urban initiative.

All those supporters had to be concerned when the league's leadership - and really its existence - came into question, but board member Bill Sims said community support is returning. The league has sold 27 aluminum signs for $200 apiece to a variety of businesses, including Kash n' Karry and Albertsons. Attorney Daryl Stringer has purchased eight signs, which will be posted around the fields.

"There is a change coming," Sims said. "It has gotten somewhat better, but we have to let the community know. We can't wait for them to find out, we have to let them see there is a change."

In addition to reaching out to the community, Sims said he's hoping Belmont will develop a parent advisory committee and a business advisory committee. He reasons more input only can help Belmont reach greater heights, and a network of businesses could enable the park to rely more on sponsorships and less on concession sales.

Most important, Belmont needs a dedicated group willing to work for the kids. Gambrell said he is looking to bring back more people like himself who came through the system, and volunteers from previous administrations who have a renewed commitment.

Said Sims: "If everybody is truly committed, it can't fail."

Belmont has been a positive focal point in a community that has too few bright spots. Talk is always about past greats like Sheffield and Gooden, but Belmont has to succeed not because of its history, but because of all the kids who want to build a new legacy.

That's all I'm saying.

--Ernest Hooper can be reached at 813 226-3406 or Hooper@sptimes.com

[Last modified May 24, 2005, 03:00:27]