Future plans for Logan include team growth to 10 teams next season and
inter-league play with areas like Harrison Township and Salem.
The second league in our area is the
Swedesboro/Woolwich St. Jude’s Charity League. This league was initiated
by Dr. Michelle Blair to benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Cancer Research.
The Swedesboro/Woolwich League wound up with six
teams to start. This league does have sponsors from local area
businesses.
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Team 1 is Peeltown Advertising managed by Mike
Murray.
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Team 2 is Mugs Coffee House managed by Sara
Carreras.
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Team 3 is Tribeca Hair Studio managed by Alice
Montgomery.
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Team 4 is the New Town Press managed by Buddy
Thomas. Buddy is the only manager in both leagues.
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Team 5 is the Cross Bridge Community Church
managed by Mark Barnish.
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Team 6 is Schoener’s managed by John Sims.
The Swedesboro/Woolwich league plays their games at
Locke Avenue on Sunday’s starting at 3 p.m. They only play two games a
week with some teams receiving a bye.
Wellshire Farms sponsors a trophy for the
Swedesboro/Woolwich League.
Obviously the drive for starting the
Swedesboro/Woolwich League was charity. When I asked John Laino why he
start the Logan League, he said, “Two reasons. First, lots of friends
and neighbors talking about it, and second, they were driving 40 minutes
to play softball.” He chuckled and said, “That’s way too far to drive.”
The Swedesboro/Woolwich League has six men and four
ladies on the field at all times. This is a little different than Logan
who has eight and two respectively.
The leagues are not overly serious, but they have a
hint of competitiveness. Mostly they are completely fun and games. Some
teams do play a little tougher than others.
Anyone can find a place on a team. All you need is
a baseball glove.
Many joined the leagues because of the love of
the sport and others as time away from the kids. Lots of couples are on
the rosters.
So far, the league has spawned barbecues, back yard
pool parties and impromptu “keggers.” It’s a great way to make friends
if you are new to the area.
For more information about the
Swedesboro/Woolwich St. Jude’s Charity League, contact Sara Carreras at
Mugs Coffee house at 241-8882.
For more information about the Logan Softball
League, contact Jason or Rebecca Laino 856-207-5614 or 609-504-9011.
Everyone that comes out really enjoys playing so
come on out and enjoy the fun.
Did
You Know…
Softball was invented on a blustery, windy day in
November 1887 in Chicago, IL inside the Farragut Boat Club when a bunch
of Yale and Harvard alumni were anxiously awaiting the results of the
Harvard-Yale football game.
When the news came that Yale had defeated Harvard,
17-8, one Yale supporter, overcome with enthusiasm, picked up an old
boxing glove and threw it at a nearby Harvard alumni, who promptly tried
to hit it back with a stick.
This gave George Hancock, a reporter for the
Chicago Board of Trade, an idea. He suggested a game of indoor baseball.
Naturally, Hancock's friends thought he was talking about playing a game
outdoors, not indoors. Hancock, however, wasn't kidding. Using what was
available, he tied together the laces of a boxing glove for a ball.
Using a piece of chalk, Hancock marked off a home plate, bases and a
pitcher's box inside the Farragut Boat Club gymnasium, with the two
groups divided into two teams.
The final score of the game was 41-40, but what was
significant was that Hancock and his friends had invented a sport
(softball) that would grow in popularity to where today more than 25
million people enjoy playing it in the United States and millions more
internationally in more than 100 countries.
SWEDESBORO
— Bountiful fruits and vegetables from local South Jersey farms are
featured at the Swedes Inn’s The Elegant Picnic six course
wine dinner on July 19 and 20 beginning at 7 p.m. Don’t miss what could be
the best picnic of the summer.