OPENING DAY of BOLIVAR BASEBALL at Peninsula Sports Park was a little out of the ordinary this year. Practice began in early February and countless hours of hard labor were put into preparing the field and concession area. The excitement was high as a few changes were made to the park prior to opening. Freshly painted murals were added to buildings donated by Texas Crab Festival Charities and Driftwood HOA, the entire park was treated for ants (something that has been desperately needed), and the plus red infield clay mixture that has been difficult to obtain was finally delivered and spread.

Upon arrival early Saturday morning to prepare for the festivities, something was off…the ballpark had been robbed. The padlocks on both storage buildings and the concession building had been cut off and each building was missing items. Sadly, thieves took the PA system, portable music speaker, the external speaker for the bleachers, a newly purchased Craftsman tiller, DeWalt tools, concession inventory (candy, sodas, water, Gatorade, sunflower seeds, chips etc.), multiple door prizes, and many other items that were accumulated over the years to make PSP a well-equipped baseball venue. Despite this unthinkable start, beautiful sunshine with warm air and the refusal to let this stop the kids from playing ball, a fun day was enjoyed by all. The stands were packed with parents, grandparents, families, friends, and fans cheering on the hard-working baseball teams who were proud to show off the skills they’ve learned over the last few weeks.

Typically, PSP games start with the National Anthem proudly blaring over the sound system, but without one this year the kiddos enthusiastically led the fans in the Pledge of Allegiance and even bravely sang The Star-Spangled Banner. All three divisions played their best and entertained the crowds, leaving them ready to come back for more each weekend. It was important to teach the players that what was done to their ballpark was a horrible act of heartless and selfish cruelty, but they could overcome by making the most of the beautiful day and having fun. T-Ball kicked off at 11 with the Cardinals barely falling to the Gulls 8-5. The Sluggers games followed with the Bulldogs edging out the Bull Sharks 5-0, and finally the Blue Marlins took the win over the Bull Reds 5-0. The day was full of mixed emotions; but joy, excitement, and pride outweighed the negativity by far. Please attend PSP games when you can, they are played in Port Bolivar next door to the PBVFD on most Saturdays until April 30.

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