Gateway Babe Ruth kicks off spring season

Gateway Babe Ruth baseball players got into the swing of spring on March 24 as they tried out for various teams. The Babe Ruth League, which includes players from Wareham, Mattapoisett, Rochester, and Marion, has teams and activities for kids and teens ages 6 to 19.

On Sunday, players ages 12 to 16 practiced hitting and playing various positions so coaches could sort them into teams.

Many of the players have been on teams together since t-ball, and the bonds between them (and their families) are strong, said Heather MacGregor, who has two sons and a nephew who have been involved with Gateway Babe Ruth for years.

Because the boys often play on multiple teams, MacGregor, of Mattapoisett, said that their family gatherings are almost always scheduled around practices and games, and birthday parties are often a round of cupcakes following a game.

“You develop a family,” said MacGregor. “We had a family reunion, the baseball kids were there.”

Trying out alongside the baseball denizens were some newcomers, including Michael Enos, 12, of Wareham.

“I feel like baseball is my sport,” said Enos, who had been practicing ahead of try-outs.

Andre Silvia, 14, of Wareham, has played in the league for two years.

“You get new friends from all around the area,” Silvia said.

He said that the league is very welcoming, and brings everyone into the fold.

“No kid gets sidelined at all,” Silvia said. “Everybody plays. The kids that are new, we try to teach them, try to help them out, hitting pitching, anything they want.”

Cam Letourneau, 13, of Mattapoisett, was excited for the season.

“It’s gonna be a lot of fun,” Letourneau said. “It’s a bigger league, so it’s a lot of kids I don’t know who are older, so it’s a little more challenging.”