Tolland Little League Opens 2011 Season

The sun was out, but a heavy wind made it a bit cooler then usual at Tolland Little League’s opening day Saturday morning.

The 30-minute ceremony held at the town’s middle school was highlighted by an appearance by Chris Corkum, an Enfield High graduate and founder of Baseball Inc.

Corkum’s resume in the game is long, as he played at Providence College, and was an associate scout for the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim from 1994-2009. He’s also the founder of Baseball Inc., and runs a variety of youth baseball training program.

After getting a nice hand from the crowd, Corkum talked about the many benefits of baseball, stressing the need to have fun and respect both teammates and opponents.

“The greatest thing about being a team is winning,” he said. “The second greatest thing is losing and enjoying playing as a team.”

Corkum pointed to Australian baseball, saying there is “no such thing as a bad opponent.” With stadiums often being as far as 100 miles apart, the teams will stay in town for several days to play. At the end of the series, the home team holds a big dinner to thank the other team for coming and allowing them to have a game, Corkum said.

He encouraged players to be relentless, and said that the game is easy to play when everything is going in your direction, and hardest when it’s not, citing Red Sox outfielder Carl Crawford’s early struggles.

“He goes through exactly what you guys go through,” Corkum said of Crawford. “If you go a few games without a hit, know that the greatest day is around the corner.”

The ceremony began with emcee Richard Dooley introducing Boy Scout Troop 2 to present the colors and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. League parent Gregg Sireci sang the National Anthem, before league President JoAnn Urso introduced the Board of Directors and thanked the league’s many sponsors and volunteers.

The league has more than 670 participants this season, according to Urso.  

Officials also announced two fundraising promotions during the upcoming season: Rock Cats tickets for May 14 will be sold to raise money and there will also be a Yankee Candle fundraiser. Blooper, the Rock Cats mascot, was one hand, taking pictures with the players and Urso.

Kevin Moran, Director of the Rookie League, said that whichever team sold the most tickets would have the chance to go on the field and in both dugouts before the game.

The ceremony ended with the traditional first pitch. Head Umpire Dan Bracken took his spot behind the plate, while Kelly Shea and Sarah Supczak teamed to throw out the first pitch for softball, and twins Jack and Eva Riggot did the honor for baseball.

While he encouraged good sportsmanship and hard work, Corkum pointed out the joy of having baseball as a lifetime hobby.

“One day you can become a coach yourself, and pass on the things you’re learning today,” he said.