The Merillon Little League held its 56th annual parade last Saturday on a picture perfect day.
The parade was led by the bands of both the Manor Oaks School and Hillside Grade School as they played God Bless America and then “The Star Spangled Banner when they arrived at the Merillon Little League field.
Merillon Little League was organized in 1951 when a group of parents got together to form a youth baseball association. Additional meetings were held and it was agreed to obtain a Little League charter. In 1952 a representative committee of parents met with the Little League officials from Williamsport, Pa. and a formal charter was granted. The new league decided to call itself “Merillon” after the firehouse meeting place and the cooperation received from the volunteer firemen in developing a small baseball field adjacent to the Merillon fire house, which today is the Denton Avenue School parking lot.
In 1955, with the help and cooperation of the Town of North Hempstead and the Village of Lake Success, Merillon Athletic Association was granted five acres of estate property. By 1963, in addition to a refreshment stand, Merillon Athletic Association built an equipment garage that was in service until 1990 when the current field house was built through the efforts of the late New York State Senator Michael J. Tully.
Today, more than ever with the current board of directors, managers and coaches are dedicated to providing an environment for the continued tradition of America’s favorite pastime baseball.
In addition to a spring season Merillon Athletic Association provides summer and fall programs and hosts baseball clinics in the summer and winter providing professional instructions to all those in attendance.
Since its inception, always at the forefront of making Merillon Little League a better organization, has been chairman Anthony Camilleri. His continued dedication has made the Merillon Association the wonderful strong organization it is today that engages so many boys and girls in the area in the sport of baseball and softball.
This year, Camilleri said, “The 10-year-olds, the 11-year-olds and the 12-year-old Williamsport Tournament teams all won their respective district championships. This is the first time this has ever happened in the district.
Dignitaries at the event included New York State Senator Craig Johnson, North Hempstead Town Jon Kaiman and North Hempstead Town Councilwoman Lee Seeman.
