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Burbank Little League Celebrates Opening Day Ceremonies

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By Jim Riggio
Special to BurbankNBeyond

 

Burbank Little League kicked off its 13th season Saturday at Brace Park with its Opening Day ceremonies.

The league will feature 29 teams this season split up over several age divisions in baseball and softball.

The ceremony, which was postponed last weekend due to rain, included well wishes by many in the community.

“I want to quickly welcome everyone out here,” Mayor David Golonski said. “I want to thank the board, the coaches, all the parents and everyone involved in putting this together. This is a great thing for our kids.”

BLLHonored in the ceremony were three All-Star teams from Burbank that won the District 16 titles last season. District 16 President Scott Moro, a Burbank resident, was also on hand to take part in the festivities.

District 16 is comprised of teams from Burbank, Glendale, La Crescenta, La Canada Flintridge and Tujunga.

Burbank honored its 2012 nine and 10-year-old softball team and its 13 and 14-year-old baseball team.

Also honored was the 10 and 11-year-old baseball team, which won for a second year with many of the same players.

Burbank also inducted two new members into its Hall of Fame. Bob Ranney, one of the league’s founders, became the first inductee a year ago.

This year former league president Mike Lockheimer and longtime league official Jim Noud became the second and third to be added to the Hall of Fame.

“From the beginning Jim and Mike have always been with us,” said Ranney. “Jim and Mike have always done whatever needed to be done. At times, Jim has even taken over some teams and helped us with coaching. Mike is the same way. These guys have always opened up their pockets and given everything they can for this league. I can’t say enough about them.”

Burbank Little League President Thomas Magoon also noted that teams from his league also pulled a District 16 sweep in winning titles in the Minors, Majors and Juniors divisions in baseball last season.

The Minor Dukes, Major Cubs and Junior Rays were those teams and were honored by Moro.

“The past few years have been very prosperous,” Moro said of the success of Burbank teams.

Magoon encouraged the players to go out and have fun.

“Let’s get this Little League season started. Some of you little kids have been waiting all week to play some games and we’ll get some games in (Saturday),” Magoon said.

For more information on teams, schedules and game times, please visit the Burbank Little League website at http://www.eteamz.com/BurbankLittleLeague.

 

 

 

 

 

Burbank Little League Holds Opening Day Ceremonies

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“Play Ball!”

The Burbank Little League season began in grand fashion Saturday, March 3 with a opening day ceremony and festivities that rivaled that of the big leagues.

Mayor Jesse Talamantes spoke, music played, and last year’s 9-10 year old “All-Star” team that won District 16 last season was honored in signage along the outfield fence.

In its 12th season, the Burbank Little League offers 30 teams for 350 players in divisions ranging from the “coach pitch” league to the Majors. In addition, there are two softball divisions for females — the oldest of which made history last season by having a team advance to the World Series in Williamsport.

The league is a step-up in competition from the city’s long established “Hap Minor” baseball and something high school coaches in the city of Burbank had long called for.

“It is a lot more competitive — more games, more play” said the league president Thomas Magoon who has three boys in the Burbank Little League. “Hap Minor plays a ten or eleven game season and then has its All-Star game and that is it, where as the Little League has more than twice even before All-Stars begin .”

The season runs from March into June and is followed by All-Stars. Another huge advantage for more competitive play is that players get use to playing teams from other areas.

Last years Division Champ had their sign unveiled during opening cermonies. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

“Our district includes La Canada area, the Tujunga area and a lot of other areas in a 10-15 mile radius,” Magoon said. “The 9-10 year old team from last year was one win away from regionals which would expanded the map for those boys even more.”

Magoon stressed the league works well with the calendar for the Hap Minor season and the Parochial League’s season.

“It all works, we use the same fields here at Brace and we have a lot of the same kids so the city has worked out a calendar that work,” he said.

And while the league is competitive, it is also above all else a fun experience for all of the players as yesterday’s Opening Day reminded participants. Magoon says his three boys, Christopher (11) and twins Joshua and Nicholas (7) had really looked forward to the ceremony.

“They love it, it is a special day for them,” said Magoon who is in his sixth season with the league and in his second as the league’s president.

About the only thing lacking for the players is a true facility, one whose field’s dimensions are appropriate to the players age and size, something those involved with the league have long dreamed of.

Currently, games are played at Brace whose two fields are multi-use fields with all dirt infields. A fiber glass mound must be placed in the center of the diamond for older division games. All of the other nearby cities with Little League programs have facilities that more closely resemble the fields fans see when they watch the World Series on ESPN.

“That would be ideal,” Magoon said. “We always keep an eye out for the right space, but being a non-profit entity that would be a huge endeavor in a city with limited space.”

For now, the dreams of the 350 players involved in the Burbank Little League start-up again each March with the annual Opening Day. Good luck to all players, coaches and teams this season.

Burbank Mayor Jess Talamantes opens the 2012 T Ball Season at Brace Park Saturday morning. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)