COSTA MESA NATIONAL LITTLE LEAGUE: CMNLL shows great recovery

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - Barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs, vans packed with

children ready to play baseball and a parade of smiles in a diamond, this

is America.

Nearly six months after terror struck the U.S.A., players and their

families of the Costa Mesa National Little League continued the

rebuilding of this nation with the only way they knew how: Baseball.

CMNLL President Colin Harrison led everyone at TeWinkle Intermediate

School in a moment of silence, in memory of those who died Sept. 11,

during Opening Day Saturday.

“I didn’t want everybody to forget that,” said Harrison, a Navy

veteran who graduated from Estancia High. “I don’t want them to dwell on

it. But I want them to be aware of it.”

The CMNLL sang the National Anthem after the moment of silence and

quickly broke away from their somber mood when several players were

awarded special prizes for selling discount cards. The fund-raising made

the way for new batting cages for the CMNLL, as well as other field

improvements.

Kendra Fisher, a 10-year-old catcher for the Minor A Cardinals, won a

BMX bike for selling the most discount cards, 71. She rode her new bike

around the diamond and became popular among her friends.

Costa Mesa Mayor Linda Dixon threw the ceremonial first pitch to open

the day of games.

“Youth sports are extremely popular, and rightly so,” said Dixon, who

also attended Costa Mesa American Little League’s Opening Day ceremonies.

“Little League gives our youth a chance to play together, be good

sports, learn how to win and accept losing. And just to work as a team.

(Saturday) was all about community, a time for families to come out and

get their kids involved and be a part of the community.”

The festivities also included the traditional parade of team and

squads were awarded for best banner. The T-ball Minor Cardinals, T-ball

Majors Dodgers, Farm’s Cubs, Minor B Astros, Minor A Diamondbacks and

Majors Astros won for the best banner in their respective divisions.

Harrison ended the ceremony, telling the players to have fun and

wishing everyone good luck, especially to the Minor A Diamondbacks, who

had to leave the festivities earlier than everyone else because they had

a game at Costa Mesa High against a CMALL team.

“I love Little League baseball,” Harrison said. “I love watching the

kids have fun. That’s the big thing I want to encourage. Our league does

encourage that. I want everybody to know we’re here for the kids. They

could be competitive when they get in high school.”