CUMBERLAND — A new rec baseball league, Mountain League Baseball, has been formed, and the organization has secured a contract from the Board of Allegany County Commissioners to use the county fairgrounds ballfields.
MLB, a nonprofit organization based in Maryland promoting youth baseball in mountain Maryland and the surrounding region, formed in November and will begin its inaugural season this summer.
“Youth in our area always benefited from access to recreational baseball through other organizations,” said Michael Llewellyn, a co-founder of MLB. “However, it became apparent that, without some action, there would be no baseball for kids aged 13-17 this year.”
Ken Johnson, a longtime volunteer in multiple youth sports and the Assignor of the Tristate Umpires Association, stated, “we couldn’t sit by and watch baseball fail in mountain Maryland.”
MLB is hosting two recreational leagues: A Junior Division for players ages 13-14, and a Senior Division for players ages 15-17.
The league is for all players regardless of prior experience. MLB will accept any child that wants to learn and play baseball.
MLB will host teams in Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties in Maryland, Mineral and Hampshire counties in West Virginia, and Bedford County, Pennsylvania.
“I was really worried there would be no baseball this year,” said Eric O’Neal, who will coach a Senior Division team. “I am excited to get kids back on the field this summer.”
Financial donors and volunteers are enthusiastically pitching in to ensure that the inaugural season is a success.
“It is the 250th birthday of America,” said Westernport coach Erik Dichiera. “I cannot think of a better way to celebrate our country than its favorite pastime.”
MLB was recently awarded the contract to manage three fields located at the Allegany County Fairgrounds, which are used by multiple youth baseball organizations, community colleges and high schools in the tri-state community.
MLB believes baseball can be a positive influence on children, teaching them valuable life skills and helping them build strong character traits.
Player registration is underway.
Online registration can be completed at www.mountainleaguebaseball.com.
In-person sign-ups are scheduled for Saturday, March 28 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Allegany County Fairgrounds baseball complex. Games will begin in June.