BY SAPNA PATHAK
David Bailey spent winters and springs looking forward to it. He’d go to bed each night eyeing the pile of new equipment in the corner of his bedroom, anticipating snow giving way to grass, dirt and Opening Day.
Fifty years later, Xander Kalil and Austin Halley do the same thing.
“Yeah, we can’t wait for baseball to start,” said 11-year-old Kalil. “The best part is getting to play against your friends and then go out with them after the games. My parents come out to all the games, and my little brother plays, too. It’s the best part of summer.”
Kalil was joined by teammates, coaches and parents to celebrate Bedford Little League’s 50th anniversary on June 23. The festivities were preceded by championship games in the league’s various divisions at Bedford’s Ho Sang Park.
Founded in 1957, Bedford Little League fielded four teams. Today, the league is home to roughly 900 kids, including the Babe Ruth program, making it one of the state’s larger leagues.
Two years ago, Bedford grabbed the District One state and district title and played its way to the Eastern Regional semifinals in Bristol, Conn. But Bedford Little League truly established itself in 1993, when the town sent a team all the way to the Little League World Series.
“We went down there (to Williamsport, Pa.) and it was very exciting,” said Bailey. “Bedford came in second in America. That’s a big deal. When we returned, there was as much fervor in the air as when the President comes to the state. It was that exciting.”
Bailey, now chief of police of the town, played for one of the first Bedford Little League teams and said the program’s growth is a result of hard work by volunteers and the enthusiasm of its young players.
David and Sheila Heald have lived in Bedford for 10 years and have two sons in the program. Their older son, Max, played in the 12-year-old majors division, while Jed finished his first season of tee-ball with other 6-year-olds.
“We’ve got one in his last year in the program and the other in his first year,” said David Heald. “We’ve got them at each end of the spectrum, so it’s nice. Baseball’s probably the most popular sport in town, and it’s because they do a great job. A lot of parents put a lot of time into it.”
The Healds are like many Bedford families with multiple kids in the program. Kelly Lalond’s son, Alex, was part of a 12-year-old team, while daughter Megan played for the U10 championship-winning softball team.
Both Austin Halley and Xander Kalil played for the same team, as did their younger brothers, Adam Kalil and Alec Halley, who played for an 8-year-old team. Both older brothers competed in the day’s Home Run Derby and skills contest, part of the 50th anniversary celebration.
“The Home Run Derby was awesome. We’ve never had one before. I hope we do another one again,” said Halley, who began playing baseball at 5. “It’s weird the league’s been around so long, but it’s probably because everyone loves baseball. Fifty years, that’s a long time.”