Well, this has been a really exciting start to writing for the Pioneer Press and I am having a wonderful time reading emails from people in the community. In fact, as soon as my first column hit the stands, I ran to my computer to see if anyone had written to me. To my surprise, I already had three emails.

The first person wrote at length giving me compliment after compliment. I was truly ecstatic until I realized the email was from my mother. The next person typed in my address but obviously meant to write to someone named Stu Dubin and gave me lots of information about my prostate problem.

The third email was from a woman named Kate Moran and that’s where today’s column really begins…

Kate’s email told me about something new and exciting called the Buffalo Grove Ball Club (BGBC) and it’s definitely very unique. “What in the world could be so unique about a ball club?” you might ask.

Well, for one thing the club’s purpose is solely for kids to just HAVE FUN in a NON-COMPETITVE and casual atmosphere. Plus, they will be playing every Saturday until school starts.

“George Hinkle, Bob Brown, Larry Reitman, Jim Kobler and I thought of it while hanging out after a game one evening,” said Steve Moran, Kate’s Husband. “If you are not on a traveling team, the regular-league baseball season ends by the beginning of July. We wanted to give kids who want to play baseball an opportunity to do so.”

There are no practices either and as BGBC’s website explains, there is no score-keeping at the games.

The teams and coaches change weekly and are set up each Thursday. Each coach gets three to four pitchers with around 11 to 12 kids per team. “That way kids aren’t sitting on the bench too much,” added Steve.

To add to the fun, the kids get to pick their own weekly team-names. Some of the names used so far are: Sea Monkeys, Fireballs, Frogs and Hermit Crabs.

Since the BGBC’s start this summer, it already has over 50 members. This year, the rapidly-growing club is for seven to eight-year-olds, but next year it will also include nine-year-olds. BGBC provides babysitting for younger children and older siblings are used as umpires.

Additionally, there is minimum cost. Each child pays just four dollars per game to cover the price of renting a field and tipping the umpires.

To add to the excitement happening in this league, Culver’s of Buffalo Grove has decided to sponsor the Buffalo Grove Ball Club. They will be supplying baseball caps and making a donation toward the purchase of equipment.

For more information about Buffalo Grove Ball Club, you can visit their website and even email the coordinator at: http://www.qcbaseball.com/summer/bgballclub/home.aspx

(I know it’s a very long URL, but it’s worth checking out.)

Until next time,

--Susan

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© 2005 Susan Dubin, Buffalo Grove, Illinois