All across Western New York, young baseball and softball players donned their uniforms, grabbed their mitts and a bat, and prepared for their first game of the youth season. In Caledonia, like many other communities, a players’ parade officially kicks off the season. The parade culminated at Tennent Park, where little league and lassie league ball programs, had their start. Dozens of players took off their team hats, covered their hearts and pledged the American flag followed by the Little League pledge. With the start of each season, the youth baseball league honors a community member who has made a significant contribution to youth baseball and or softball. For his years of service to youth baseball, Mike Pullyblank was selected as the 2008 honoree. Pullyblank began his baseball career on the little league diamond at Tennent Park and went on to play Cal-Mum Red Raider Varsity Baseball. When his two sons, Craig and Brian, were old enough to play youth baseball, Pullyblank became an active volunteer and served as vice-president and president of the league. He performed a variety of duties including preparing the field, cooking hotdogs and organizing fundraisers. He shared his knowledge and expertise of baseball with numerous young players who then developed into outstanding ball players. He’s traveled many miles across the region to watch and coach baseball games. The league dedicated the 2008 season to Pullyblank in appreciation for his contributions to youth baseball. He was in attendance to accept the recognition and also to throw out a first pitch of the season. There is a great story behind this year’s girls’ softball honorees. The story entitled, "Little Lassie Baseball," dates back to the late 1950’s and is documented in an issue of the Caledonia Advertiser. Mary Catherine Hamilton, former Caledonia mayor, teacher, coach and outstanding athlete as a young girl, reproduced the story and it reads like this: "We who are interested in trying to do so much for our boys feel that we should show some consideration for our girls too. There are no better looking or finer girls anywhere then right here in this vicinity. Right now Little Lassie Baseball is starting just as the Little League started and is spreading all over the United States and Canada. It is divided up like the little league. The rules and regulations are similar to the little league only they play with a softball. Girls from 10 up to 15 only are allowed to play. All the players and others allowed on the grounds will be covered by insurance. The girls making the team will be issued a regulation Little Lassie uniform. I know that some of the mothers will make tomboys out of their daughters, but that is not true. The girls, in no way, will be molested by the boys and the ball grounds will be only for them when they play practice. If there is enough interest shown I suggest that you appoint a leader and when you are ready we will hold a meeting to discuss it. You better hurry because maybe the firemen will want you to parade in the big parade June 6th. Written by E. A. "Scotchy" Tennent, for whom Tennent Park is named Within a week of that story being published, 54 girls were signed up to play softball and four teams formed. The first games were played on June 28, 1958 with the Tigers beating the Orioles 11 to 2 and the Cubs squeaking by the Pirates 4 to 3. The names of the following team managers are familiar to community members. Some of the ladies are no longer with us to accept the recognition for their efforts, however family members were there to represent them. CMYBB honored the following women for starting and advancing girls’ softball in Cal-Mum, long before Title IX mandated it.
Note: Thanks Cal-Mum Youth Baseball Historian Steve Pullyblank for supplying the information for this story.
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