Bangor West Little League celebrates 50 years

BANGOR – The strength of a bond formed through sports was evident Saturday when Bangor West Little League celebrated its 50th year of baseball with 10 players and a coach from its four original teams.

The players and coach participated in a parade from Fairmount Park to Mansfield Stadium with Bangor West’s current Little League players, and then were honored in a ceremony at Mansfield.

Wayne Lawton, a charter member of the Jaycees team who participated in the ceremony, said some of his first friends in Bangor were his Little League teammates.

“We moved to Bangor in April of 1952 and a month later the [Little League] season started,” he said. “These guys have been friends of mine for 50 years. We’re still close. There was a certain bond that was developed from playing Little League baseball together.”

In 1952, Bangor had just one Little League with the teams of Jaycees, Lions, Kiwanis and Rotary playing its games at Bass Park. The next year, Bangor East started games in its own league.

Of the original four teams, Jaycees is the only one which does not still have a team in Bangor West Little League.

Other players from the four teams who took part in the ceremony were: Hank McPherson and Jack Loftus of Jaycees; Dave Gildart and Joe Taylor of Kiwanis; George Pooler, Bill Varney and Frank Field of Lions; and Elwyn “Elbow” Dority and George Christakos of Rotary.

Bill Park, the first coach of the Lions and an all-star coach, also attended and threw out the first ball.

The current Bangor West Little League, which consists of baseball and softball teams, encircled the infield while the 10 players and coach were introduced and stood on the first-base line.

“It was a big day for them to be remembered 50 years later,” said Dennis Libbey, a Bangor West coach and board member who helped organize the event.

“I don’t think they figured that 50 years ago anyone would remember them, but they are the pioneers of Bangor Little League baseball,” Libbey added.

Bangor West Little League has a deep appreciation for the tradition of baseball and wanted to do something special during its 50th year, Libbey said.

“These guys were very excited to come back. They brought yearbooks and told stories,” he said. “It was great for our kids to see these guys who have been very successful in their professional lives.

“The kids could see that they still wanted to play. They had fun, the kids had fun. It was a great day for baseball in Bangor,” Libbey added.

The idea of celebrating 50 years of Little League baseball in Bangor originated with Bangor West president Doug Farnham. Libbey then started planning for the event with Lawton and Varney.

Lawton and Varney each contacted players from the four teams and asked if they could attend the event.

“The five guys I could track down locally were all enthused about coming and being part [of the celebration]. Bill had the same type of reaction,” Lawton said.