In order to trace the history of the League, it is necessary to give a little background and history of the Marion Recreation Department, because the League grew out of the Recreation Department.
The Marion Recreation Department had its beginning as far back as the early 1940?s. In 1944, a group of volunteer citizens formed a city recreation council and inherited a treasury of 144 dollars, with bills amounting to about 25 dollars. Wilburn Boatright directed this program and provided supervision on a voluntary basis. Members of the council were Maree Cox, Mrs. Ernest Parks, Mrs. Clara Boatright, Frank Morrison, Lloyd McMichael, Oscar Schafale, August Fowler, Fred Stotlar and Rev. Harvey Zuern. This council ceased its operations in 1946 because of a lack of funds and facilities. The Marion Lions Club financed the project until 1947.
After the volunteer council ceased to function, a move was made from some Marion Citizens for a revival of organized recreation. On April 15, 1947, the City of Marion established a teen-town and playground program through a referendum with tax support. Members of the newly formed Recreation Board were Rev. Harvey Zuern, Clara Boatright. Maree Cox, Orland Stanley and Kenneth Absher. These charter members of the Recreation Board employed James Smith as Recreation Director to administer a program consisting of baseball, teen-town, and a limited playground program in the summer for younger children.
James Smith resigned in 1949, and Mr. Cliff Storme was hired as a part-time director of recreation. In 1954, Storme and some other interested citizens were instrumental in forming a volunteer baseball program. It was this group that we have today. The following men, as far as we know, made up the original Board of Directors of the Marion Youth Baseball League.
The League has grown from eight teams of boys in 1954 to 56 teams of boys and girls in 1982, a period of only 29 years. The League is a non-profit organization operating on its own budget of over $40,000 annually, raised through sponsors? fees, the annual Memorial Day chicken barbecue, candy sales and a variety of other projects. The League continues to work closely with the Recreation Department, and it also cooperates with the Marion Park District in order to provide an excellent baseball and softball program for over 700 boys and girls from ages 5 through 18.
There are presently 200 men and women serving voluntarily in the capacities of managers, umpires and supervisors. Fields are prepared by the Park District Staff, and game schedules and player selection is carefully supervised by the Recreation Department.
The League has been instrumental in the construction of seven baseball fields (all fields are tiled and red brick), building three storage facilities, press boxes, grandstands, a concession area, an office, and erecting seven electric scoreboards at Marion?s Ray Fosse Park, the site of all play in the League.
The League currently has the following divisions:
Shetland
ages 5-6
Pinto
ages 7-8
Mustang
ages 9-10
Bronco
ages 11-12
Pony
ages 13-14
Colt
ages 15-16
Palomino (Girls) ages 17-18
Age groups and numbers of teams may change from year to year as the number of players registered changes.
At times, even the leagues may change meeting the needs of the community and the program. Such a major change took place in 1977, effective the 1978 season, when the program dropped out of the Little League franchise and affiliated with the Pony Baseball group of Washington, PA. At the same time, the program joined with Pinto and Mustang, also a part of the Pony franchise. Marion has been connected with Pony and Colt since the 1950?s and early 1960?s.
Two graduates of the League have gone on to make careers out of professional baseball for a time. Steve Waterbury was in the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies organizations. Ray Fosse has been in the Cleveland and Oakland organizations and part of the Milwaukee Brewer organization. He has played in two All-Star games, 1970 and 1971, and played for the World Champion Oakland A?s in 1973 and 1974.
On June 14, 2003 the League celebrated 50 years of Marion Youth Baseball & Softball. There were games scheduled throughout the day. The League also sold BBQ ribs, chicken, hamburgers, and hotdogs so that families could enjoy the entire day. The League held a special ceremony that same evening to celebrate the 50th anniversary. Speakers included: Mayor Robert Butler, A.C. Storme, Wes Deaton, Ray Hancock, Charlie Prather, and Steve Waterbury.
The League President, at this time, was Doug Patton and he honored several people who were instrumental in getting the League started and for keeping it running these 50 years. Those honored included: Bob Broeking (past president and instrumental in lighting the fields), Ferne Shotton (widow of Henry Shotton, Pony field is named after Henry), Harold Biggs (one of the original board members of MYBS), Gene Lang (long-time Mustang League supervisor), Jimmy Stewart (long-time umpire and concession stand coordinator), Dr. John Kaeser (umpired for many years), Harry L. Crisp (Marion Pepsi-providing many years of support to the league), Ray McCormick (one of the first coaches in the organization), Johnny Goss (one of the first coaches in the organization), Mrs Warder Stotlar and Fred and Dick Stotlar (wife and sons of Warder Stotlar-Colt field is named after Warder), and Ernie Rinella (umpire for many years).
After all presentations were completed, the Color Guard from the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 1301 presented flags while Stephanie Reed sang our National Anthem. After which, the League presented the crowd with a large fireworks display.
At the time of this celebration, MYBS has 72 boys and girl teams and an enrollment of approximately 870 participants. The League has an annual budget of over $50,000. The budget is raised through sponsor fees, the annual Memorial Day BBQ, rib cooks, and our concession stand. The League continues to work closely with the Marion Park District, and the Marion Recreation Department to provide an excellent baseball and softball program for boys and girls from Marion and the surrounding area whose ages range from 5 to 16 years old.
PAST PRESIDENTS
1954 Charlie Chappell
1955 Don Johnson
1956-57 Bill Moncur
1958-60 Bill Armstrong
1961-62 Warder Stotlar
1963-64 Pat Malone
1965-66 J.P. Smothers
1967-68 Bill Hudgens
1969-70 Leroy Anderson
1971 Bill Novick
1972-73 Bob Logan
1974-75 Jim Redden
1976-77 Ray Hancock
1978-79 Bob Broeking
1980-81 George Sims
1982 Henry Shotton
1983 Mel Lynn
1984-85 Ray Hancock
1986-88 Bob Broeking
1989-95 Emma Lou Garrison
1996-97 Richard Hope
1998-00 Neil Blankenship
2001-02 Gail Blumenstock
2003 Doug Patton
2004-06 Gail Blumenstock
2007-08 Bud Salzman
2009 Rob Underwood
PAST DIRECTORS OF MARION RECREATION DEPARTMENT
1944-46 Wilburn Boatwright (volunteer)
1947-49 James Smith
1949-63 A.C. ?Cliff? Storme
1963-74 Ray Hancock
1974- Wes Deaton
PARTICIPANTS IN PROGRAM
| YEAR | PLAYERS | YEAR | PLAYERS | YEAR | PLAYERS |
| 1954 | 120 | 1974 | 528 | 1988 | 780 |
| 1955 | 180 | 1975 | 496 | 1989 | 725 |
| 1956 | 200 | 1976 | 570 | 1990 | 734 |
| 1957 | 240 | 1977 | 589 | 1991 | 750 |
| 1959 | 300 | 1978 | 626 | 1992 | 825 |
| 1961 | 345 | 1979 | 714 | 1993 | 850 |
| 1965 | 475 | 1980 | 775 | 1994 | 875 |
| 1967 | 595 | 1981 | 790 | 1995 | 897 |
| 1968 | 640 | 1982 | 725 | 1996 | 930 |
| 1969 | 670 | 1983 | 724 | 1997 | 860 |
| 1970 | 618 | 1984 | 717 | 1998 | 978 |
| 1971 | 544 | 1985 | 662 | 1999 | 956 |
| 1972 | 505 | 1986 | 723 | 2003 | 870 |
| 1973 | 547 | 1987 | 737 | 2004 | 856 |