Baines Park adult leagues provide outlet

Editor's note: This is part two of a three-part series on the state of baseball in Norwalk. NORWALK — Almost any night of the week, mid-May to early August, Baines Park is filled with the sights and sounds of ball games. Six adult softball leagues play at the Austin Shadle Drive fields, with something for everyone to enjoy. When local adults move on from their youth and high-school days, Norwalk Park and Recreation softball leagues provide a fun and popular version of competitive baseball, keeping the spirit of sport going for years. "It's a getaway from the daily grind of work each day," said Logan Conney, 31, a 2013 Norwalk High School graduate. "You work hard, then come down here and play hard with a lot of friends who maybe you don't get to see as much otherwise." Fans of all ages watch the action, sitting in bleachers and lawn chairs and on blankets, taking in a summer evening as friends and family members play ball. Dogs on leashes and kids on playground equipment round out the recreational scene. Speakers at each field provide familiar cadence as batters are called to the plate, while teams play music in the dugouts. Alley's Grill serves hot dogs, burgers, and cheesesteaks from a cart. Clearly, Baines Park is where sport meets fun. "It's an accepting community that makes you want to keep coming back," said Payton Shober, Rec Center coordinator who oversees the leagues. Read part 1 here Read part 2 here 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 the Lefty Grove Baseball League. Since 1957, league teams have been playing baseball on fields located behind the VFW post home on Milan Avenue. Baseball is part of the fabric of Norwalk sports and a rite of passage for generations of families each summer. But as the adult leagues adapt to the reality of fewer teams in a more relaxed environment, the battle for participation remains constant. Bygone era Despite summer weeks filled with men's, women's, or co-ed action at the three fields, one spot is now desolate. The park's batting cages were shuttered this spring after decades of service. The mechanical facility offered various speeds for both baseball and softball. Reaction was strong when the early April decision was made due to costly repairs for aged mechanisms and pumps. Much of the response centered on nostalgia rather than anger. The Baines cages were one of just a few public, automated/self-operational facilities in the area. "The hardest decision that I walked into last year," Shober said about closing the cages. "Everyone loved it, and people came from around the area just to use them. It was just one of those things where the maintenance was overtaking the use of it. "I just didn't realize how many people it affected," he added. "It was one of those things where it's a staple that people come to use, and then all of a sudden it's not there. And they realize what it meant to them." Joe Lindenberger umpires adult games at Baines several nights per week. He was Norwalk Park and Rec superintendent from 2011-23. Prior to becoming the Rec's chief, he worked under director Ken Leber in Shober's current position. Lindenberger oversaw everything at Baines for nearly three decades, including the years when both Norwalk and St. Paul baseball and softball teams played home games on those fields. "When Ken first acquired the cages, they were from Tennessee, and parts were already 30 years old," Lindenberger explained. "The amount of money pumped into those every year was not a good return on the value. "Whatever was brought in was being spent on the upkeep alone. There's no good answer, but I know they may have some plans for [that area]." With the cages' location away from the Rec Center hub on Republic Street, Lindenberger noted that having a frequent presence at Baines Park for maintenance was problematic. "It was great when we put them in, and they did well for a number of years," he said. "But it's past its time." Shober, who has input from many longtime players about what could next occupy the space, mentioned that among several possibilities is an enclosed batting tunnel where pitchers can throw live practice to hitters. "We're going to look at different things because we don't want to get away from providing something for the community like that," Shober said. "We don't want to get rid of that option, but just something in a different view. Something not as mechanically overwhelming." By the numbers Play in Baines Park's six leagues begins the week after Mother's Day in May. Most schedules go through the end of July, with some extending into August. All-male and all-female teams are joined by three coed leagues competing only on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Teams must field 10 players. With 70 teams this summer, Shober, a 2018 NHS graduate, has been busy overseeing 700 participants. "We have people come in who have barely — or never — picked up a bat or fielded a ball in their lives, but just want something to do or to be part of a team or friends group," he said. "Then we have top-tier players who practice and play every day." The difference among abilities is accommodated by different divisions, "so you're in the spot you belong," Shober added. "Everyone brings you in, and there are so many different opportunities. I always sell the relationships when describing it. Various benefit tournaments for those who are sick or in need are also common. "And we made various benches happen around the fields," Shober added. "But the overall camaraderie of the community is among the best." The league wasn't always as relaxed as it is now. When Lindenberger retired, he thought that due to constant tensions, he would never return to Baines Park. "The demeanor of the park is better than it was," he said. "When the league was huge, with over 110 teams, we had problems. Some of the players had serious attitudes, and we always seemed to be dealing with drama and suspending players. "That seems to either have been mitigated — or people just have more fun now. And it makes it fun for us, too." Conney, a propane manager at Coles Energy, said an occasional misunderstanding might get testy, but nothing crazy occurs. "Other than that, everyone genuinely gets along pretty well," he said. "We're starting to see more of the kids who played in recent years enjoy playing ball in a different setting from high school, where the pressure is so high. "As the older generation starts to slow down, it's good to see. They like the more relaxed environment." All walks of life Adult leagues often bring together people from different jobs and professions, and that's evident in the size of the city's program. Norwalk's leagues are notable as among the biggest and most popular in a 30-plus mile radius. Participation isn't limited to city residents. Former Perkins High School softball standout Dessa Dubbert is a player here. A 2019 graduate, Dubbert played for Division-II Kent State's Tuscarawas branch in New Philadelphia. She works as an audiology patient-care and sales coordinator for Beltone and MLM Hearing, LLC. Playing every night in six leagues, Dubbert is following in the footsteps of her father and brothers. "I like meeting new people and the competition," she said. "I grew up playing all the time since I was four years old. It's just something that I love, and the heat and things like that don't bother me because I'm used to it. "It's a great time, but I would say having patience when you first start and learning from others will also make it a more enjoyable experience." Hired to work at the Rec Center's front desk in 2016, Shober jumped to the adult leagues right after high school, where he also umpires and plays on teams. "I like to get out and be involved in a team setting instead of by myself," he said. "It allows my friends to get together in a controlled environment and kind of let the steam off for the day or week and just play and have fun." Lindenberger too enjoys being around people. Now retired, he finds umpiring games is a way to stay connected and get in some light exercise. "When you retire, you have to find something," he said. "It took me a year or so to calm down my own expectations for this after doing the job for so long. But now I really enjoy coming here a couple nights each week." Both Lindenberger and Conney know the history of Norwalk baseball quite well. They appreciate that they can go to Baines and keep the sport in their lives, they said. "You get the competition and the camaraderie because you know everyone down here by name," Conney said. "There are rarely strangers down here." The leagues are proof that Norwalk loves baseball. The city's connection to the game is as strong as ever, Lindenberger added. "There's not a lot of adult leagues like this, still. Baseball and softball have always been a summer special in this city, and I think it will continue just as strong for years to come. "We have great programs at the two high schools, and Lefty Grove will always have a place. This helps as you get older because it's a good sport as you get into adulthood that brings good fellowship, too. Baseball strikes the right balance."