By Morgan Pilz, Staff Writer

Season canceled because of health-safety concerns

(June 4, 2020) Sadly for the many youth baseball fans in the area, the Berlin Little League board of directors has decided to cancel the baseball and softball seasons this year to protect players and fans from the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Vice President of Baseball Operations Barb Kohut announced the decision Sunday on Facebook.

The Junior Berlin Little League All Stars advanced to the World Series in Taylor, Michigan, in August. The squad went 1-2 during the tournament and finished the season ranked fourth out of 1,500 U.S. Junior Little League squads and eighth internationally.

“It is with utmost sadness and regret that we write to you that the 2020 Berlin Little League season has been canceled,” her post said. “After relentlessly trying to get our players on the field, our board voted tonight in favor of canceling the season. We felt, with delay after delay, ever-changing safety guidelines, losing participation, and, most importantly, the safety and well-being of all of our stakeholders, the best decision was to cancel.”

The post also informed parents and fans of the Berlin Little League that all the paid registrations for this season will be credited for the 2021 season, as well as all paid sponsorships.

According to Kohut, close to 600 children ranging from ages 6 to 16 had registered to play for Tee-ball play up to major leagues this season.

“We are by far the biggest in our Little League surrounding out of the 10 Little Leagues in our district,” she said. “I think a lot of the athletes were really holding on to this one last opportunity to get out there and play baseball or softball. My personal children were devastated, too.”

The board had hoped for a later season, but the current restrictions in place made that impossible.

“According to regulations, only half the team can be out there … 10 people at most per field,” Kohut said. “We were just feeling very, very hopeless because the only other option was to have it go deep into the summer at this point.”

In addition to the limited number of people available to play, several parents, players and coaches did not want to risk catching the virus or have been out of work for several months.

“We would never be upset if somebody didn’t feel comfortable being out there,” Kohut assured. “We just can’t risk the livelihood of any of our people … from players to families to our board, to our coaches and our volunteers at the concession stand.”

Most upsetting, she said, was the loss of an event everyone in the organization was looking forward amid this crisis.

“Everybody’d made a big deal about our seniors in high schools, which we’re all traumatized about,” she said. “But I also think about our 12-year-olds and their opportunity to go to Little League World Series taken away. Little League was their last glimpse of light for salvaging something baseball-oriented.

“You go from an extended season like [last year] where we’re like playing baseball in the finals till mid-August and now we’ve come to this,” Kohut continued. “As a teacher, getting ready to go back to school and then being stripped of all of that, it’s like a horrible nightmare. Somebody pinch me and wake me up because I can’t believe this.”

Berlin was also preparing to host the Juniors state tournament this year, although Kohut believes the town will still be able to host it the following year.

Several teams last year captured the District 8 and state titles, and many squads played valiantly in the regional tournaments.

The 2019 season ended on a high note with Berlin’s Junior League team made it to Taylor, Michigan for the World Series in August. The team finished the season ranked fourth out of 1,500 U.S. Junior Little League squads and eighth internationally.

Team members still have not received their championship rings, though Kohut hopes to hold an event once restrictions are lessened or removed to celebrate those players.

“We love our Berlin Little League people, our families and the friends of Berlin Little League,” Kohut said. “The messages that we’ve seen even on our Facebook page, have been 100 percent support of our decision and people have been understanding, although disappointed. It’s nice to know that we’re in a community of support and people that truly care about our kids.”