Even to this day, my fiancé and I run into people that I know, but she doesn’t. Most of the time, I met those people at West Side Little League. Whether they played with me, or were coached by my father, it seems that numerous bonds were formed in that league that last to this day.

The West Side Little League and LaSalle Park had a feel to them; the experience enveloped all of the senses. It wasn’t just the sounds of the aluminum bats. It was also the crashing of waves against the break wall, the wind howling through the ear hole of your helmet, and the seagulls screeching as they soared through the air. The smell of all that is baseball was there, rich with flavors of popcorn, but pungent with the musty stench of the leather equipment bag. The images of flying kites, the packed bleachers and the kids playing in the dirt piles behind every backstop are still engraved in my memories. I can still see LaSalle Park, and feel West Side Little League in my bones.

What Happened to the West Side Little League? – continue reading…