Claremont Little League seeks out former players for 60th anniversary celebration

Claremont Little League is preparing a celebration for its upcoming 60th season, which kicks off March 2 with an annual parade.

To mark this anniversary, the parade organizers are looking for former Little League players who played during Little League’s first 10 years, between 1959 and 1969, to participate in the opening ceremonies, according to president-elect Jennifer Ballesteros.

The organizers are also trying to track down the members of the 2007 Claremont All Stars team, went further than any team in District 20—the regional group of which Claremont is a part—had previously, Ms. Ballesteros added. The team made it one game shy of the Western regional championships in San Bernardino.

Little League’s organizers would like to put this team back on the field, Ms. Ballesteros said. She added that some members of this team are playing or have played in the minor leagues.

According to Ms. Ballesteros, Little League has taught Claremont’s children lessons beyond baseball.

“Baseball teaches you so much more than…hitting and throwing strikes and home runs, and it’s so much more about discipline and fighting through difficulties,” she said. “[Players] are going to make more mistakes than anything, and it’s teaching the kids how to persevere through those mistakes.”

She added that she is always impressed by the number of local fathers who volunteer as part of Little League.

“It just blows my mind how many men volunteer from our community down there for these boys,” she said. “I’ve never seen that many dads come together for our kids than I do for Little League. Seeing these dads be leaders is amazing.”

Ms. Ballesteros encouraged any players from Claremont Little League’s first 10 years to reach out to Little League president Andrew Mowbray at andrew.m@claremontlittleleague.org with their contact information and pictures from their time in Little League.

The opening parade begins at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 2 at College Park, 100 S. College?Ave., in Claremont.

For additional information about this year’s teams and for game schedules,  visit claremontlittleleague.org.

—Marc Rod

marcrod1297@gmail.com