From the Bleachers
News from the Saco Senior Little League
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Saturday, June 2, 2001
Sure, we need the rain, ... but on Opening Day?
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photos by Jeff Scully
Watch this site for information regarding the rescheduling of games postponed by rain and the TA Varsity baseball team's participation in the Western Maine Class A Tournament.
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SACO—The long-anticipated 2001 Opening Day for the Saco Senior Little League came and went without a single pitch being thrown.
For days before, the forecast had called for downpours all weekend, but over one hundred Senior Little League players from Saco, Dayton and Arundel had hoped against hope that the predicted soaking rains would hold off at least until the afternoon.
Players, managers, coaches, and fans awoke to the sound of raindrops and knew immediately that the weather forecasters were right.
It wasn't immediately known when the games would be made up. Adding to the scheduling headache, was the fact that the Thornton Academy Varsity baseball team won their first game of the tournament, 16-0 over 20th ranked Morse High School of Bath. This win prolongs the TA season, keeping them playing and practicing on the Varsity field, but also, because several Junior Varsity Players were called up for the tourney, the Senior Division was left with several players unable to participate in scheduled games.
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When the rain finally stops the Junior and Senior Divisions will begin their schedule with games at Memorial Field, and the Thornton Academy Varsity and Junior Varsity fields.
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Updated April 29, 2001
Tryouts held at Memorial Field in Saco
Memorial Field in Saco was the sight of the 2001 tryouts during the last weekend of April.
On a sunny Saturday morning, dozens of 13 and 14 year old hopefuls fielded, hit and ran in front of the coaching staff. By noontime the managers and their coaches sat down and picked players to fill roster openings.
The following day 28 names were called to try out for for twenty-two available spots. The coaching staffs of the three Senior Division rated and took notes on the players and retired to the Open Door in Saco where they chose the players for their teams.
Within twenty-four hours, the players were notified and practices were schedueled.
The teams will generally have practices a couple of times per week and when the season begins they will only meet for their games.
First Registration Night a Success for SSLL
Around eighty registrations were taken for the 2001 season during the city-wide baseball/softball registration night at the Saco Middel School cafeteria on March 15.
This number is well above the tally from last year and this bodes well for the league. It was noticed by more than one board member that there seemed to be quite a few new faces registering for the league in the Senior Division. The final registration total will be available shortly, as there will be at least one more opportunity to register for the 2001 season.
Baseball appears to be alive and well in Saco this season and it is hoped that the league will be able to expand to four teams in the Senior Division. The Junior Division should hold steady with five teams this season.
The league is still looking for managers for three teams in the Junior Division and there were a few interested parties at the sign up.
Anyone still interested in any position from managing to coaching to concessions to secretary, fund raising chair, etc., is encouraged to attend the next meeting of the Board of Directors, April 1 at Howard Sports beginning at 6:00 p.m. This will be the last full board meeting prior to tryouts. 
Saco Senior Little League is announcing the launch of its new web site
http://members.tripod.com/sacobaseball2001/ is the address for the new Saco Senior Little League® site.
This site will provide players and their parents information about the upcoming season, registration, the organization, and in addition, will list game scores, summaries and rosters during the season.
Registration night for the Saco Senior Little League will be on March 15, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Saco Middle School cafeteria. The registration fee for the 2001 season is $35, however, an additional $40 will be due prior to players being issued a uniform.
This fee can be recouped by the players selling eight $5 calendars for the league's 2001 season fundraiser. Players or their parents may purchase some or all of the calendars, however, the additional fee will be due before the league starts.
Registrations must be accompanied by an original birth certificate for proper age verification.
The Saco Senior Little League is seeking the baseball experience of at least three people who would like to become managers in the Junior Division. Currently there are three managerial positions open. Other open positions are; player agent, fund raising chair, concessions, umpire-in-chief, and secretary.
The league is also seeking a team sponsor for an expansion team in the Senior Division. If you are interested in helping the league in any way, please contact Mike Spaulding at 282-9200. You can contact the Saco Senior Little League through their web site as well.
last updated March 7, 2001
Saco Senior Little League reluctantly hires Western Maine Board Umpires for 2001 season
At the February meeting of the Saco Senior Little League Board of Directors members reluctantly agreed to hire Western Maine Board Umpires for the 2001 season. The vote was unanimous, but not without reservation on the part of most.
During the 2000 season WMB umpires worked the Senior Division games played in Saco, but Junior Divison games were officiated by volunteer umpires.
The move to paid umpires will cost the Saco Senior Little League plenty, as each game will cost $65 for two umpires.
Registration fees rise to meet the cost of doing business
While the registration night fee will remain $35 for all players wishing to join the league, there will be an additional fee of $40 due prior to players being issued a uniform.
This increase will be used in part to pay for Western Maine Board umpires to umpire all games in both the Junior and Senior divisions.
Last season, for the first time in many seasons, the Saco Senior Little League held a fund raiser. With limited success, the move netted the league several thousand dollars.
This year another fund raiser will be instituted and will begin following the 2001 season draft.
Calendars will be sold with $25 prizes awarded the first 29 days in the month of June. On the final day of the month someone will win $100. Each player will be responsible for an additional $40 before a team uniform will be issued. Players will have the option of paying the $40 or selling eight $5 calendars to offset the additional fee.
Per player costs have risen to over $100 for the upcoming season and while sponsor fees help with some of these costs, the board of directors have voted to increase the player fees to meet these increases.
Both divisions to play inter-league games with Biddeford, Lyman and Old Orchard Beach Senior Little Leagues
This season both divisions will play a slate of games against the other teams in their respective leagues, but will also add games against perennial rivals, Biddeford, as well as Old Orchard Beach and Lyman Senior Little Leagues.
Depending on the availability of fields, and working with the remainder of the intra-league season, teams in both divisions will play as many as three games against other teams in the Saco league and then up to three games against Biddeford and one each with Lyman, and Old Orchard Beach.
There is a possibility, however, that Old Orchard Beach could fail to field a team in either or both divisions.
Junior Division looking for a few good men (or women)
Three teams in the Junior Division will go into Registration Night without managers or a coaching staff. Form Tech and Saco Bay Rotary have lost last year's managers to the Senior Division.
Mike Collin, of Form Tech, and Ted Gauthier, of Saco Bay Rotary have taken managerial positions in the Senior Division, moving up with their sons to that league. These moves and the loss of Prime Care's manager, Guy Gaudette, leaves three of the five teams without managers or coaches.
Tom Pike, of Saco & Biddeford Savings, and Wayne Madore, of Hillview Ice Cream remain as managers in the Junior Division.
Gauthier will take over Wormwood's as former manager, Jim Waterhouse, has stepped down after many years in that team's top spot.
Collin will act as manager of a new, as yet named team, and Tom Danylik will move from a coaching position to that of manager of Dayton Sand & Gravel. Ron Barone will lead Bob's Auto, rounding out the Senior Divison's managerial corps.
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