Newspapers in the Anton Media Group chain are publishing stories on the state of Little League in their villages. Is this adjunct to the National Pastime on the decline, having now to compete with alien sports like soccer? Or is it still a rite of passage for millions of American boys? The answer to the first question seems to be “yes,” but the answer to the second question looks to be “yes” also. Who wouldn’t want their sons, if they are athletically-minded to play a few years of Little League? Your son learns values that will keep them in good stead for a lifetime: Sportsmanship, teamwork, the joys of camaraderie and of setting a goal and with luck and hard work, reaching it. Little League needs to be played in good fun. After all, these are just young boys.
If there is an unattractive side to Little League, it often comes from coaches and parents, who expect too much of their children and the children of others. The value of hard work is important, but so too is a situation when a youngster comes home from a game too tired to turn on the television set or the computer. Finally, on this subject, The Roslyn News has posted a documentary, one entitled, This Is Little League. It was filmed in 1952 and previewed at thousands of movie theaters around the country. The documentary was written by a Long Island resident, Jerry Brondfield. It is set in Roslyn, but its location could be anywhere on Long Island. To view the video, go to www.RoslynNews.com. Don’t miss it!
