Little Leagues Protest Travel to Play Ball

About 15 Hawthorne parents and Little League coaches have criticized the city for a renovation project at Holly Park that has forced about 75 teen-agers on five teams to play on another field.

The coaches and parents from the Holly Park Little League on West 120th Street said the project begun in October is replacing a regulation-size baseball diamond and two smaller softball fields crowded together at Holly Park with two upgraded softball diamonds.

Sterling Jones, a Little League official, said 13- to 15-year-old players in the junior and senior divisions use a diamond that is 90 feet from home plate to first base. The new softball diamonds will be 60 feet from home to first. Younger Little Leaguers can play on the smaller fields.

“Does the city of Hawthorne have any sensitivity to the youth?” asked Jones, who said the contractor doing the work estimated it would cost $3,780 to convert one of the softball diamonds to the size required for older Little Leaguers.

Several parents said they now drive their teen-agers to Jim Thorpe Memorial Park, 14100 S.Prairie Ave. They also complained that some children get home after midnight because the Holly Park league games begin after the Jim Thorpe Little League games are completed.

“I don’t think it’s fair,” said Ella Parker, the mother of a player.

City officials said the two softball diamonds are being installed to accommodate a growing number of adult softball leagues.

Councilman Steve Andersen on Monday asked that the Parks and Recreation Commission investigate the complaints and try to accommodate the Little League players.

“We don’t want you to get the wrong impression because we are with you,” he said.