By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
Registration for the 2005 Dowagiac Little League season will be held on Saturday in the cafeteria at Dowagiac Union High School from 9 a.m. until noon.
Something new for 2005 will be a league rummage sale which will be held April 16-17 at Russom Fields on Yaw Street.
The league will be collecting "gently" used baseball equipment on Saturday as the first step of the registration process.
Anyone who has items such as shoes, bats, balls, gloves, hats, catcher's gear, helmets and pants will be allowed to drop off their equipment prior to registering.
The league is hoping to provide quality used equipment to help off-set the cost of playing Little League by holding the rummage sale.
Any equipment not sold at the sale will be packed into a Securit truck and sent to Indianapolis, Ind. to Little League Central Region headquarters where it will be distributed to programs in needy countries.
While no exact program could be named, Little League did say that the equipment would either go to Poland or Latin America.
The rummage sale will coinside with field maintenance day at Russom Fields.
In order to register on Saturday, each child must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Each player will need to have a birth certificate (photocopying will be available on site) and a parent's photo identification (for volunteer application).
During the registration each player will be fitted for a uniform.
This year the league is offering an opportunity for each child to select his own uniform number. Each child is asked to provide two numbers. The league will make ever opportunity to accomodate the players.
Cost of playing this year will be $60 per child. Once again there will be no mandatory participation in the candy sale, however, parents may be able to recoop some of the playing cost by selling candy.
See league officials at registration for more information.
The league is in need of volunteer coaches, concession workers and umpires. Parents may volunteer on Saturday.
The league will once again consist of Tee Ball, Minor Division Baseball (7-9 year-olds), Major Division baseball (10-12), Junior Baseball (15-year-olds), Senior Baseball (15-16 year-olds), Peanut Division softball (7-8), Miniors Division softball (11-12), Junior Softball (13-14) and Senior Softball (15-16).
Due to a large number of Tee Ball players, the league has decided to divide them into boys' and girls' divisions for 2005.
Dowagiac Little League will also offer its Challenger Softball League in 2005.
The league completed its second season in 2004 by doubling its numbers to 24 at the completion of the year.
The league is hoping to increase those numbers substantially again this year.
The league is open to children and young adults who have physical or cognitive disabilities.
Russom Fields will be the site of the 2005 Michigan Senior Baseball State Tournament at the end of July.
Dowagiac Little League will also hold its round-robin pitching machine tournament in conjunction with the state tournament.
For more information check out the league's website: www.eteamz.active.com/dowagiacll/index.cfm