SPORTS news
Emmitsburg Baseball Celebrates 60th Anniversary
Deb Spalding
In 1955, Articles of Incorporation for the Emmitsburg Little League stated the objective of the league to be, “to implant firmly in the boys of the community the ideals of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage and reverence so that they may be finer, stronger, and happier boys and will grow to be good, clean, healthy men.” The objectives were to have been achieved by providing supervised competitive baseball games. Since 1955, thousands of boys, and now girls, too, have been impacted in a positive way by this league.
According to a January 28, 1955 Emmitsburg Chronicle article, Paul Claypool was the organizing chairman of the project and the Emmitsburg Lions Club was the first sponsor of the league. Coaches slated that first season included James McKeon, Carlos Englar, Dr. John J. Dillon, Jr., and Prof. Paul Conway. Organizational contributors included Herbert W. Roger, George L. Wilhide, and John J. Hollinger. Additional team sponsors soon came forward.
Organizational officers were slated in June and included Guy R. McGlaughlin, president; Robert Daugherty, vice president; John J. Dillon, Jr., secretary; and J. Edward Houck, treasurer.
Opening day was held Tuesday, June 22, 1955 with Leonard Zimmerman’s Cards beating Jack Rosensteel’s Yankees 4-0. Emmitsburg’s Burgess,Thornton Rodgers tossed out the first ball.
The concession stand was built in 1975 and named Sayler’s Stand for former league president, Bob Sayler, who served food from the concession stand for thirty years. Sayler passed away in 1997 at the age of seventy-five.
The first girls to play in the league started to appear in the 1960s and 1970s. They were mixed in as members of the boys’ teams. Today, there are several girl’s teams ranging in age from 8-16. They play in the Frederick County Girls Softball League.
Former league president and long-time league volunteer, Mary Topper, said, “In 2004, the league decided to join a new league, the Mason Dixon League, which included Taneytown, Littlestown, and Charles Carroll. The reason for the change was the lack of boys teams in Emmitsburg. The officers thought it was good for the players from nine to twelve years to experience new competition. Our teams were very successful in this league.”
A few years later, the Emmitsburg Little League changed from little league to being independent and officially became the Emmitsburg Baseball and Softball League. At this time, teams went on to play in Pony league. Since 2009, teams have been playing in the Cal Ripken League because this league plays by rules used in major league and high school baseball.
Older boys, aged 13-19, currently play in the Frederick County Babe Ruth League. EBSL currently has two teams in the 13-15 league and one team in the 16-19 league.
EBSL has hosted the Frederick County Babe Ruth 13-15 year end-of-year tournament for the past two years under the leadership of Doug Wivell. Also, EBSL has hosted the State Tournament for Cal Ripken for the past three years, and the Emmitsburg 12U All Stars have won the Maryland state title three years in a row under the coaching of Dave Wantz III, Jimmy Click, and John Malachowski. They advanced to Waynesboro, Pennsylvania for the Regional Championships the first year and to New York the second year, then returned to Waynesboro again this year. The 12U Redsox were undefeated during this season.
Emmitsburg’s 12U girls softball team won first place in the silver division. The 15U girls came in second in their division. With success of the Mason-Dixon League, Emmitsburg will continue to play against other teams in Fairfield, Gettysburg, and Taneytown.
Past presidents include Guy McGlaughlin, Dr. William Cadle, Thomas Bollinger, Richard McCullough, Thomas “Tip” Harbaugh, Robert Sayler, Thomas Ryan, Roy Wivell, William Wivell, Lisa Krom, Dean Torgenson, Mary Topper, Brian Holt, Jeff Little, Brian Devilbiss, Jeff topper, and Tom Kelly.
The league would like to thank the town and the sponsors for their support. To volunteer on the board, serve as a coach, or become a sponsor, please email [email protected].
CHS Sports Boosters to Hold Re-Dedication Ceremony
The Catoctin High School (CHS) Sports Boosters will hold a re-dedication ceremony of the memorials to former Catoctin athletes and fallen military heroes, 1Lt. Robert A. Seidel, III and LCpl. James Willard Higgins, Jr. prior to the Homecoming football game at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 25, 2015, in Cougar Stadium. The memorials have been completely restored in memory of Jeff Wivell, who was instrumental in the initial creation of the monument area.
In 1955, Articles of Incorporation for the Emmitsburg Little League stated the objective of the league to be, “to implant firmly in the boys of the community the ideals of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage and reverence so that they may be finer, stronger, and happier boys and will grow to be good, clean, healthy men.” The objectives were to have been achieved by providing supervised competitive baseball games. Since 1955, thousands of boys, and now girls, too, have been impacted in a positive way by this league.
According to a January 28, 1955 Emmitsburg Chronicle article, Paul Claypool was the organizing chairman of the project and the Emmitsburg Lions Club was the first sponsor of the league. Coaches slated that first season included James McKeon, Carlos Englar, Dr. John J. Dillon, Jr., and Prof. Paul Conway. Organizational contributors included Herbert W. Roger, George L. Wilhide, and John J. Hollinger. Additional team sponsors soon came forward.
Organizational officers were slated in June and included Guy R. McGlaughlin, president; Robert Daugherty, vice president; John J. Dillon, Jr., secretary; and J. Edward Houck, treasurer.
Opening day was held Tuesday, June 22, 1955 with Leonard Zimmerman’s Cards beating Jack Rosensteel’s Yankees 4-0. Emmitsburg’s Burgess,Thornton Rodgers tossed out the first ball.
The concession stand was built in 1975 and named Sayler’s Stand for former league president, Bob Sayler, who served food from the concession stand for thirty years. Sayler passed away in 1997 at the age of seventy-five.
The first girls to play in the league started to appear in the 1960s and 1970s. They were mixed in as members of the boys’ teams. Today, there are several girl’s teams ranging in age from 8-16. They play in the Frederick County Girls Softball League.
Former league president and long-time league volunteer, Mary Topper, said, “In 2004, the league decided to join a new league, the Mason Dixon League, which included Taneytown, Littlestown, and Charles Carroll. The reason for the change was the lack of boys teams in Emmitsburg. The officers thought it was good for the players from nine to twelve years to experience new competition. Our teams were very successful in this league.”
A few years later, the Emmitsburg Little League changed from little league to being independent and officially became the Emmitsburg Baseball and Softball League. At this time, teams went on to play in Pony league. Since 2009, teams have been playing in the Cal Ripken League because this league plays by rules used in major league and high school baseball.
Older boys, aged 13-19, currently play in the Frederick County Babe Ruth League. EBSL currently has two teams in the 13-15 league and one team in the 16-19 league.
EBSL has hosted the Frederick County Babe Ruth 13-15 year end-of-year tournament for the past two years under the leadership of Doug Wivell. Also, EBSL has hosted the State Tournament for Cal Ripken for the past three years, and the Emmitsburg 12U All Stars have won the Maryland state title three years in a row under the coaching of Dave Wantz III, Jimmy Click, and John Malachowski. They advanced to Waynesboro, Pennsylvania for the Regional Championships the first year and to New York the second year, then returned to Waynesboro again this year. The 12U Redsox were undefeated during this season.
Emmitsburg’s 12U girls softball team won first place in the silver division. The 15U girls came in second in their division. With success of the Mason-Dixon League, Emmitsburg will continue to play against other teams in Fairfield, Gettysburg, and Taneytown.
Past presidents include Guy McGlaughlin, Dr. William Cadle, Thomas Bollinger, Richard McCullough, Thomas “Tip” Harbaugh, Robert Sayler, Thomas Ryan, Roy Wivell, William Wivell, Lisa Krom, Dean Torgenson, Mary Topper, Brian Holt, Jeff Little, Brian Devilbiss, Jeff topper, and Tom Kelly.
The league would like to thank the town and the sponsors for their support. To volunteer on the board, serve as a coach, or become a sponsor, please email [email protected].
CHS Sports Boosters to Hold Re-Dedication Ceremony
The Catoctin High School (CHS) Sports Boosters will hold a re-dedication ceremony of the memorials to former Catoctin athletes and fallen military heroes, 1Lt. Robert A. Seidel, III and LCpl. James Willard Higgins, Jr. prior to the Homecoming football game at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, September 25, 2015, in Cougar Stadium. The memorials have been completely restored in memory of Jeff Wivell, who was instrumental in the initial creation of the monument area.