LYNN– The youth baseball season doesn’t necessarily have to end in August. Lynn Babe Ruth opens doors for players who want to continue playing through the next few months in the organization’s fall baseball league.
“It’s a great time of the year to play baseball,” Lynn Babe Ruth President Jeff Earp said. “Some people say the schedule should be flip-flopped. It gives the kids an opportunity to continue playing baseball. We know a lot of kids play football during the fall but if they can fit it into their schedules it gives them a chance. The way Babe Ruth does it, we have all of the age groups play together. We bring up the Little League kids. It helps them get rid of any nervousness. They’re around the older kids and the older kids teach them a lot.”
Earp said the league draws a solid crowd each year. The league doesn’t place a deadline on registration, meaning players who want to join are encouraged to do so at any point of the fall season.
“It can vary,” Earp said. “We tend to have bigger rosters. We get anywhere from about 100-150 players. Hopefully I’ll make a bunch of calls next week to reach out to Saugus, Marblehead, Beverly to see if they want to play some inter-league games. The kids love that. They love playing against kids from other towns.
“It’s very laid back,” Earp said. “There are free substitutions. It’s fun. It’s really cool to be a part of it. At the same time, it’s baseball. We get a lot of kids who want to continue working on things. It’s another opportunity to have kids who are new to the area to come in and play. There aren’t any deadlines to sign up so kids see their friends playing, they come down and join, and they’re ready for the spring.”
One of the league’s main priorities is providing players with a chance to keep their skills sharp before the spring rolls around.
“It helps them a lot,” Earp said. “It keeps them going. In this area of the country kids are at a disadvantage with that. In Florida, you get to play year-round. It’s all different. This keeps it going for these kids. They can do anything they need to do. The batting cages are there. It extends friendships. It’s great.”
Fall baseball also helps keep Lynn Babe Ruth’s numbers strong for the spring season.
“It helps us build relationships,” Earp said. “Numbers are down in a lot of places. If the relationships are there, the kids are less likely to walk away. Then kids look forward to registration in the spring. It gives us a jump start for the spring.”
Registration will take place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Babe Ruth Clubhouse on O’Callaghan Way. All players that graduated from Little League are eligible and encouraged to play. Babe Ruth players from this summer are also eligible to play. The schedule runs from Sept. 7 through Oct. 26 and perhaps longer, weather permitting. The registration fee is $100. More information can be found on Lynn Babe Ruth’s Facebook page.
“It’s something that’s really for the love of the game,” Earp said. “You get to see some of the things you don’t normally see. Fall baseball’s a fun time.”