With opening night scheduled for May 24, preparations are starting to be made. A league meeting will be held this Sunday, April 18, 1999 at 3pm at the Seapoint Restaurant on East Eighth Street. Teams that wish to be part of the 1999 softball season must have a representative present. The meeting is also open to any player, fan, or resident that wishes to express an opinion on league matters. The main topics up for discussion are not limited to but include league fees, playing rules, game times, scheduling, and parking. This is a mandatory meeting for all coaches, please attend!

Not only are we looking ahead to a competitive season, we are privileged to be playing on one of the many city parks that underwent renovations last fall. If you have not traveled past M Street Park, take a moment to do so. You will be pleasantly surprised by the beautiful changes made by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. Last year's rocky infield has been replaced with smooth, flat, red clay. Grass has also been laid in the areas surrounding home plate, team benches, and behind the infield.

Players and fans close to the league know that the powerhouse Sam Moran Club and the combative Sidewalk Cafe have built an intense rivalry. From the seven game championship series in 1997 to the dogfight games in last year's finals, these two teams play hard and want to beat each other badly. Off the field, however, players from these two teams share a great respect for one another. This was never more evident than the Moran Club's recent gesture made to me, Mark Senna, pitcher for the Sidewalk Cafe. I was presented with an award for "time and effort" regarding my dual role as the league commissioner. Thank you, members of the Sam Moran Club, for this award and, in doing so, for showing your great sportsmanship.