Play ball! 68th Precinct Youth Council kicks off baseball season

Opening day is the most wonderful time of the year for baseball fans and for Bay Ridge, it’s no different.

On Saturday, April 8, the 68^th Precinct Youth Council held its annual opening day ceremony, and although it didn’t include its traditional parade, the beautiful day still delivered hits and smiles.

New President of the 68^th Precinct Youth Council Harry D’Onofrio considered it a great start to a promising season. “It was a real nice event and we had over 25 games that were played,” he said. “The biggest improvement this year is that we are playing by Little League baseball rules. We are getting prepared so that these kids next year will have the opportunity to play in Little League baseball tournaments. You never you know. You could have the first team make the Little League World Series.”

Games were played at the 68^th Police Youth Council Field at 83^rd Street and Shore Road, as well as on St. Ephrem’s field, St Pat’s field, and at 79^th street.The league ranges from first to eighth graders.

“The best thing that I see is the camaraderie,” D’Onofrio added. “You have people playing from different organizations coming together as one community [through the Bay Ridge Little League Association], which to me speaks volumes. The main thing is we’re trying to encourage good sportsmanship. That is the biggest thing.”

In addition, the league has partnered with Our Lady of Guadalupe and is giving older kids a chance to hit the diamond as well. “We have a team playing in Coney Island in the Kings Bay league for children that aged out of the program,” he said. “So you have ninth graders and 10^th graders playing. I’m looking at ways to get more kids involved, more people playing. I’m trying to encourage more involvement at all levels. We are affording an opportunity to a kid who may or may not make his high school team; here they have an opportunity to play.”

Although this season has just started, D’Onofrio is looking towards a bright future. “We had a nice turnout and I expect even more because we are going to expand and have a summer clinic with a summer league to gain interest, so next year I feel that Bay Ridge is going to be on the map. Everyone is going to want to play with us,” he said.