Calvert American Little League (CALL) is gearing up for its annual Opening Day on Saturday, April 15 at Cove Point Park. The league, which is an all-volunteer organization, will be kicking off its Spring season of baseball and softball for its 1,007 youth athletes aged 4-16.
The day will be filled with league games all day, starting at 8:30 a.m. But the fun doesn’t stop there, as Opening Day is an all-day party with a range of activities for everyone to enjoy. There will be an exhibition game of Challengers 2023 on Field 2, which is CALL’s special needs adaptive baseball program open to athletes ages 4-22 throughout Southern Maryland.
At 11 a.m., there will be a parade and ceremony where the athletes will proudly walk to field 2. The public is invited to come and cheer on their favorite players. A brief ceremony will follow the parade, welcoming everyone to an exciting season.
In addition to the games, there will be a festival area that includes a dunk tank, inflatables, fire trucks and fire safety exhibits, face painting by CHS’ National Art Honor Society, Calvert County Sheriff’s Office’s speed pitch tent, naturalists from American Chestnut Land Trails, and more! This area is available at no cost, but donations are appreciated.
There will also be two raffles. Tickets for both raffles are $1 each, or 25 tickets for $20. The first is a 50/50 raffle, where the winner keeps 50% of the funds raised in that specific raffle. The second raffle will offer multiple prize levels, and each prize will be announced and a raffle ticket pulled. Prizes include items from the Washington Nationals, Baltimore Orioles, Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, and many of our local sponsors.
The league will also be selling food, including hot dogs, chips, and drinks, as well as hosting Capt. Smith’s food truck and Kona Ice. A selfie station will be available with a large sign donated by Calvert Yard Cards for participants to take photos with.
Calvert County Parks and Recreation would like to remind all patrons to park in designated parking only and not on the grass at the park. Carpooling is highly recommended. The league recommends bringing water, sunscreen, and a chair or blanket to spend the day.
“It’s always a blast to see these players don their uniforms, step up to the plate, and take those first swings of the season,” said CALL President Mike Barnes. “But, more importantly, we coaches get the joy of seeing these children grow on and off the field for seasons to come. I just hope everyone enjoys themselves at Opening Day – and all season long.”
CALL serves boys and girls in the mid- to south-Calvert County area, as well as a Challengers Division that offers an adaptive baseball program for players with physical and intellectual disabilities throughout Southern Maryland.
Fall Season registration will open in June at www.ccall.org, and CALL invites any youth who attends school or lives in the league boundaries to join, regardless of experience.
In conclusion, the Calvert American Little League’s annual Opening Day is a fun-filled day with activities for everyone to enjoy. The league is excited to welcome over 1,000 youth athletes to kick off its Spring season of baseball and softball. The day is a celebration of the athletes and their achievements, both on and off the field, as well as the volunteers who make it all possible.
Game schedule:
Note that for Opening Day, some games have been shortened in order to accommodate all teams.
CCALL T – Brown – Tigers CCALL T – Black Widows – Bruffy 8:30 AM 2E Cove Point Park (CPP) CCALL T – Blue Crabs – Higdon CCALL T – Dingers – Buffenbarger 8:30 AM 2F Cove Point Park (CPP) CCALL T – Terrapins – Byrd CCALL T – Bull Sharks – Cady 9:40 AM 2A Cove Point Park (CPP) CCALL T – Captains – Clark CCALL T – Tigers – Deright 9:40 AM 2B Cove Point Park (CPP) CCALL T – Arrowheads – Holt CCALL T – Copperheads – Thomas 9:40 AM 2C Cove Point Park (CPP) CCALL T – Ospreys – Herrick CCALL T – River Monsters – King Jr 9:40 AM 2D Cove Point Park (CPP) CCALL T – Gators – Brammer CCALL T – Bay Dawgs – Miller 9:40 AM 2E Cove Point Park (CPP) CCALL T – Bay Blasters – Reynolds CCALL T – Wolverines – Welch 9:40 AM 2F Cove Point Park (CPP) CCALL R – Bay Blasters – Daugherty CCALL R – Dingers – Sellman 8:30 AM 2A Cove Point Park (CPP) CCALL R – Captains – Torboli CCALL R – Bull Sharks – Drees 8:30 AM 2B Cove Point Park (CPP) CCALL R – Bald Eagles – Ranly CCALL R – River Monsters – Welsh 8:30 AM 2C Cove Point Park (CPP) CCALL R – Aviators – Choi CCALL R – Blue Crabs – Luppino 8:30 AM 2D Cove Point Park (CPP) CCALL PT – Bulldogs – Elder CCALL PT – Tigers – Tregunna 8:30 AM Field #5 Cove Point Park (CPP) CCALL PT – Knights – Wallach CCALL PT – Terrapins – Frontanes 8:30 AM Field #6 Cove Point Park (CPP) CCALL PT – Ducks – Banyasz CCALL PT – Bruins – Mister 9:40 AM Field #5 Cove Point Park (CPP)