SLIDESHOW: Fast pitch baseball is back at White Center's Mel Olsen Stadium
SLIDESHOW: Fast pitch baseball is back at White Center's Mel Olsen Stadium
The Puget Sound Senior Baseball League now its 24th year, is a non-profit adult baseball organization that started in 1989 for adults (ages 19-70+) who wanted to “revisit their youth” and play hardball. Beginning with only 4 teams by 1999 they had grown to 29 teams, and now feature 67 teams. They are one of the largest baseball leagues in the world and easily the largest in the Pacific Northwest.
Greg McCorkle
Mon, 04/23/2012
by Greg McCorkle
Eight teams of the Puget Sound Senior Baseball League held practice scrimmages at Mel Olsen Stadium in preparation for the 2012 season, and like any sport a certain amount of rust needs to be knocked down after the off season. But with the sunny weather bathing the field, attitudes and expectations ran high.
While preparing to enter the field friendly barbs were exchanged in the way that athletes do and conversations about who is new to a particular team, what their batting average is, fielding skills, and what the expectation’s for them are in the new season dominated the pre scrimmage banter.
No matter what their ages are these players have been in the game since they were young lads. Some have or will play college ball and a few have minor league experience. Many ballplayers in the older division have been playing the game in one fashion or another for more than twenty years.
Every player had some honing to do with some part of their game. There were fielding errors, swinging at bad balls at the plate, and pitches that weren’t in the zone… but that said, the skill levels were high and an exciting and competitive season is upon us.
Putting together the PSSBL season, with 65 teams in 8 divisions and a 710 game schedule that happens over four months, is a daunting task. That was the job of Fields & Scheduling Director Ross Price who also must schedule fields and umpires. A tip of the hat to Ross, and Web Developer Ken Perkins for handling a seemingly overwhelming assignment.
The PSSBL regular season gets underway the weekend of April 28-29. The first game at Mel Olson Stadium is Tuesday May 1st at 7:00 pm the Brewers taking on the Rays.
Saturday May 5th will be a full day of baseball at Mel Olson Stadium with the Cannons vs. Bombers at 9:00 am, Ravens vs. Rays at 12:30 pm, Yankees vs. Volcanos at 4:00 pm, and at 7:30 pm it’s the Black Socks vs. the Stingrays.
If you’re a fan of baseball and you enjoy seeing people playing competitive ball just for the fun of it…. these guys spend a fair amount of their own money to play… come out to Mel Olsen Stadium, the only real baseball stadium in the West Seattle area. Bring the kids, a sack lunch, and enjoy the American pastime that is baseball.
Other local ball fields in the PSSBL schedule include Chief Sealth HS, Hiawatha Field, and Shorewood HS.
For the entire PSSBL 2012 schedule, go to www.pssbl.com
Play Ball!!!!
