Babe Ruth season comes to an end
As one season ends, another one begins. That’s life when you play in any youth baseball league.
North Fort Myers Babe Ruth closed the curtain on its regular season Saturday pretty much the same way it opened, with a celebration with the kids lined up around the infield at the community park.
On this day, it was much less formal as the players wore their jerseys with shorts (and one wearing a tutu), flip-flops and maybe their caps on their way to home plate to pick up their trophies for the year.
First-year league president Joe Baublis said there was much to be positive about.
“We brought in interleague play from Punta Gorda, Cape Coral and Sanibel and through PBA and made it fun. We’ve been working on All-Stars and wrapping up a good season,” Baublis said. “It was a good year and we hope for the same thing next year.”
The Major League Brewers, Minor League Rays, and the Rookie League Tigers were this season’s champions as the league maintained its numbers from the previous season at right around 200.
This season, the kids got different trophies depending on what league they were in. And they were well-earned considering how much work and improvement they put in this season.
John Giddons, coach for the minor league Orioles, said his team had a good season, especially playing against teams outside their area, like Punta Gorda.
“We won a few, we lost a few. We taught the kids fundamentals and they came along well. There was a lot of improvement,” Giddons said. “It was a lot of fun and the kids had a good time.”
John Jr., 10, saw improvement in his game, saying the highlight of his season was lining a ball down the line for a double and driving in five runs.
“We did pretty good this season. I improved my swing with the help of my father, but I may need to work on my fielding because sometimes the ball goes through my legs and I have to get my glove down,” John said.
The trophy celebration also opened another season: All-Stars. The teams were announced on Saturday for U12 and U10 and will play for the regional championship next month in Naples following an exhibition tournament at the community park on June 5-7.
“The tournament will get them ready to play in districts. It gives them a game with all the kids together because they aren’t used to playing with each other,” Baublis said.
The winner of that tournament will advance to states three weeks later, which will be held in northern Florida.
But the day was dedicated to the players and coaches who put in the work to make the kids better and have fun, such as Dave Gunderson, T-ball coach for the Dodgers.
“By the last three practices, I was throwing the kids the ball. They were tracking the ball and hitting it,” Gunderson said. “They did great. They’re all winners. Every hit is a grand slam.”