Sports
Malverne Celebrates 62nd Annual Opening Day
Little leaguers ring in the new baseball season at Harris Field.
After a long winter, Malverne little leaguers hit the diamond for the first time Saturday in one of the village’s annual springtime traditions.
Players, coaches and fans flocked to Harris Field on Saturday morning to take part in Malverne Little League’s 62nd Annual Opening Day.
“Every year, [opening day] is just a great beginning of spring, especially after a long winter,” Malverne Mayor Patricia Norris McDonald said. “It’s great to see all the families and kids come out. The excitement and the energy are just beautiful.”
Find out what's happening in Malverne-Lynbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
A number of special guests, including Sen. Dean Skelos, R-Rockville Centre, Assemblyman Brian Curran, R-Lynbrook, and representatives from the offices of Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano and Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray, along with the Malverne Board of Trustees, were on hand to ring in the new season and throw out the first pitches.
In his season-opening address, Malverne Little League President Joe Ariola said that the village board and little league board are working together toward the building of a new concession stand with bathrooms that they hope to have completed by the end of the year.
Find out what's happening in Malverne-Lynbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Ariola also thanked “Little League Moms” for all their hard work making sure kids get to and from their games and practices.
For the first time this year, Malverne Little League is putting on an instructional clinic for 4 year olds. The clinic takes place on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. at Whelan Field.
“The thing that I am most excited about is our 4-year-old clinic,” Ariola said. “I think that getting the kids involved at a very young age is a great thing for little league and baseball in general.”
The opening ceremony was followed by the first game of the season, a tee ball matchup between the Nordon Drugs and Malverne Fire Department sponsored teams.
“I think today was a great day,” Ariola said. “It took a lot of hard work from the board members but each year that's what happens. The board members pull together, come down to a rainy field and get it ready for opening day.”
