Lefty Grove League evolves in ever-changing landscape

Editor's note: This is part one of a three-part series on the state of baseball in Norwalk. NORWALK — The sounds are so common that few take notice. The crack of a bat connecting with the ball or the ball pounding into a catcher's mitt are unmistakable. The umpire's call for strike or ball call comes loud enough to be heard over crowd noise in the bleachers. Teammates chant from the dugout or behind the pitcher in the field. Parents and other fans shout encouragement when a batter steps to home plate. The sounds of summer baseball roll across baseball diamonds nationwide, and here in Norwalk, that's no different. Generations of players have made their way to local ballfields, starting with T-ball at McGuan Park, progressing through youth league teams at the VFW, Truckers and Flyers home games and adult leagues at Baines Park. The Maple City's connection to the sport runs deep. Ban Johnson, the first commissioner of the American League, was born here. The family briefly lived on East Monroe Street. Hank Edwards, who spent several seasons with the Cleveland Indians, including the franchise's last World Series championship year in 1948, grew up on State Street and attended school in Norwalk. And, of course, 300-game winner and Hall of Fame member Robert M. "Lefty" Grove himself moved to Norwalk in 1961, living here in retirement until his death in 1975. In 1962, the local Jaycees' youth league was renamed Lefty Grove Baseball League. Since 1957, league teams have been playing baseball on fields located behind the VFW post home on Milan Avenue. The league is part of the fabric of Norwalk sports and a rite of passage for generations of families each summer. Read part 2 of 3 here Read part 3 of 3 here But this summer, the league's 70th, the season didn't quite proceed as planned. Although the league fielded 28 teams with 401 players in 2026, challenges have arisen that are increasingly difficult to overcome. "What we're trying to offer kids is something to do that is outdoors — that isn't a video game or a device," said Wayne Bolton, who is stepping down as Lefty Grove commissioner after four years. "We're teaching how to be good people and sportsmanship while increasing their skills, but not beating them up to come here day after day and run you through drill after drill. It has to be as much fun as it is work, because when the fun stops, that's when you usually lose them." Those who help run and coach in the league realize that 70 years brings changes and different expectations, yet Lefty Grove Baseball remains a viable avenue for area youth to participate in America's pastime. Good times When Jason Higgins closes his eyes, he can still picture it. No, not the memory of his Outdoorsman team, undefeated in Bantam Division, losing the tournament championship game to his best friend. "He brings it up every few years," laughs Higgins, who just finished his fourth year as head baseball coach at Norwalk High School. Instead, one of Higgins' core baseball memories is hitting a home run in Junior Division. Typically, a player who hit a homer got to keep the game ball. "But my older brother, Chris, was umpiring that day," Higgins said. "He was stubborn about it and ended up giving me some plastic ball in the bin behind the backstop." The younger Higgins joked about his "home-run gift" to the late Scott Ford when he umpired the next game. The popular English teacher at Norwalk Middle School spent his summers at the VFW fields as league commissioner and Junior Division coach for 33 years until his death in 2019. "Mr. Ford took me into the maintenance shed and let me pick out any ball I wanted," Higgins said. "I have many vivid memories from my time as a player there. When I turned 12, I ended up leaving to play some pretty competitive travel ball. "But those memories competing against my friends at Lefty Grove were meaningful times." Higgins is one of thousands who remember wearing caps too big for their heads, buying freeze pops or candy at the concession stand and riding bicycles in the annual Fourth of July parade. In 1956, the local Jaycees, assisted by the city's recreation department, started the Norwalk Pre-Teen League. Six teams played at McGuan Park while a permanent field was developed on VFW Post 2743 property. On June 2, 1957, Mayor Louis Frey kicked off the first game, which drew a crowd of 500 and featured a cameo appearance by Indians Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller. That summer, the league had grown from six teams to eight. In 1962, two years after the Jaycees gave up running the operation, the name was changed to Lefty Grove Baseball League. Grove came to Norwalk largely due to his friendship with George Schild. Although Grove never became involved day-to-day league operations, he often attended year-end awards dinners and signed autographs. Teener League was added in 1963 for boys 12 and older, and became a division by 1979. The Teener field, farthest east of the parking lot, is regulation size and, for many years, served as the Flyers' practice and home-game venue. As youth baseball's popularity soared in the 1980s and '90s, Lefty Grove became known for its dozens of teams in Bantam, Junior, Senior, and Teener divisions. Games were played at the VFW and McGuan Park. Both the Truckers and St. Paul programs have had several athletes who played only at the Lefty Grove level who went on to become successful high-school players. But those times have changed. A new ballgame This year in Norwalk, players had eight travel baseball options, including a Lefty Grove Legends program. Travel teams within Lefty Grove have become key to keeping up with the competition from other sources. The travel Legends program has five different teams, with 14U the top age group. This season, 18 teams ages, 6 to 14, played a Lefty Grove travel schedule around the area. Bumping up numbers were four Western Reserve 8U teams, three Monroeville 6U, two 8U and two 10U teams. The league had 167 regular season games, plus the year-end tournaments. Teams from Collins and Monroeville pay to participate in Lefty Grove, helping offset the summer costs of mowing, field maintenance, umpires and scorekeepers. In the 12U and 14U divisions, low numbers mandated an adjustment to two 12U teams with 26 players and two 13U teams with 25 members to compete in Sandusky-based Firelands Inter-League Baseball. Lefty Grove also runs a fall league for 12U and 14U players that focuses on established teams and isn't part of summer competition, with clubs based in Norwalk, Huron, Milan, Sandusky and Willard. "The games with Firelands Inter-League came about because we're losing ground," Bolton said. "We gained a little this summer with our enrollment, but it was less than 10 kids. But in saying that, it was the first time in three years that we had an uptick." With big plans for the 70th anniversary this summer, weather played a role. Then came blowback from decisions related to those plans. Among games lost to the weather was the 70th anniversary celebration during the annual All-Star games that typically are played before the season tournaments. "I don't know if it was a failed success or a successful failure, but it wasn't what we had been planning since late last year," Bolton said. "We spent a year preparing for the 70th, but weather stopped us from doing what we wanted to do. "We're just as disappointed as the families [were] that we couldn't pull it off." With the weather disrupting many schedules, Bolton and Lefty Grove board members decided not to reschedule canceled games. Some families feel the league fee should guarantee the full slate of games, while others prefer that the season ends in early July, which created some conflict this year. "We get a lot of pushback from the majority of parents who don't want the season to go much past the Fourth of July," Bolton said. "People have scheduled vacations that are also paid for. Then a much smaller group of families got upset that we shortened the season. "We went through a lot of that this year, and I tried to explain it as professionally as possible." Bolton noted the board has to make a decision for the majority of the 400 kids and their families — and tries to make the difficult call with that in mind. "I get it — because we obviously didn't want to shorten it, either," he said. "I completely understand that viewpoint. But ultimately, we made the decision we did based on the larger group." Future still bright Aaron Fries isn't bashful in his support of Lefty Grove Baseball League. The St. Paul graduate just finished his seventh season as the head coach of his alma mater. Some of his best memories of youth baseball are coaching his two sons and their friends in the Bantam Division at the VFW fields. "Certainly the landscape has changed, and I commend Lefty Grove for making the changes in the older divisions to keep the organization relevant," Fries said. "The cost and time commitment for full-scale travel is just too much for some families to justify. "With Lefty Grove offering kids a sort of hybrid experience, it keeps kids participating in baseball who may have just stopped playing." Fries also said he believes the league maintains its value because the adults have the right interests at heart. "As long as there are adults who are passionate about the game of baseball and are willing to share their time with kids playing at Lefty Grove, then the organization will continue to be a positive force in the community," he said. Age groups at Lefty Grove provide time and space for players of different abilities to grow into the sport's many skills at their own pace, Bolton said. "That kid who is a stud in 8U might not even be playing baseball in high school. And the kid who struggled to hit the ball in 12U may end up being one of the better players in high school," he noted. Despite fielding five travel teams as a way to keep up this season, Bolton said Lefty Grove is "sort of struggling" on both ends of trends in summer baseball. "We try to field the Legends pretty much through funding and donations so we're not charging the kids like they would when they go to some other places. I've heard as much as $2,500 some places to play, and we're not approaching $1,000 in that regard," he said. "But we start developing kids, and some of them start getting to that spot where they are one of the better players on the team," Bolton added. "They may move on to a more expensive team with a bigger name behind it. Everyone develops differently, and travel sports don't ensure you will develop." Higgins said he has faith in Lefty Grove because of its participation continuity and its facilities to host games. "And the Park and Rec department also offers numerous youth and adult programs and has great facilities to work with," he said. "They are very organized, and that goes a long way." Asked about Lefty Grove's key selling point, Bolton chose the league's longstanding 'simple beliefs.' "We want to try to push fundamentals as much as we can. Regardless of wins or losses, what I told parents of our kids when I coached was that their child will be respectful. "They will understand the rules of the game, and they will show great sportsmanship. Whether we win or lose, we'll do it graciously, and the kids will have fun no matter what way it happens."