THE Guam Cal Ripken Baseball League held a presentation on Wednesday in the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium conference room, showcasing the opportunities that the non-profit organization can offer to the youth of the CNMI.
Leading the presentation was Cal Ripken 12U President Roke Alcantara Jr., alongside his father, commissioner and recent Hall of Fame inductee Roke Alcantara Sr., and assistant commissioner Joe Young.
They said the Guam Cal Ripken Baseball League’s mission is to provide boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 18 a wholesome physical fitness environment while enhancing character development, team building and sportsmanship skills.
Asked about a possible conflict with ongoing Saipan leagues as well as the lack of facilities on island for more baseball, Alcantara Jr. said:
“We’re here for the kids and not here to compete with any other league. We understand that the little league just started, and we commend them and give them praise for starting back again after so many years. We just want to coexist and give more opportunities to the kids with more baseball games, more competition, and more opportunities.”
Unlike the little league, he added, Cal Ripken has regional tournaments for every age ranging from eight to 18.
Currently, Guam is part of the Pacific Southwest Region, which consists of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Hawaii, American Samoa — and possibly Saipan with the help of the Guam Cal Ripken Baseball League.
Alcantara Jr. said “it has been a long time coming for the CNMI kids to finally have another sanctioned charter organization.”
He also mentioned the possibility of international competitions and even friendship tournaments between Guam and Saipan. “Again, it is not to compete and not having to choose sides but to coexist and offer more for the kids,” he added.
He said in order for the CNMI to join regional competitions, it must host and compete in the Guam Cal Ripken Baseball League, which has six divisions: T-Ball (ages 4-6), Rookie (ages 7-8), Minor (ages 9-10), Major (ages 11-12), and two separate Babe Ruth divisions (ages 13-16 and ages 16-18), each with their own set of rules and regulations to follow.
The CNMI could go regional as soon as next year, he added.
Today, Friday, March 21, the Guam Cal Ripken Baseball League will host a baseball clinic at the Marianas Batting Alley from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. for kids 4 to 12 years old, and from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. for kids 13 to 18 years old.
About the Cal Ripken Baseball League
Babe Ruth Inc. was founded in 1951 in Hamilton, NJ and established in Guam in 1968. Babe Ruth Inc. was divided into age groups 4-12 known as Bambino and age groups 13-18 known as Babe Ruth.
In 1999, Bambino was renamed Cal Ripken to recognize the vision and philosophy he shared with Babe Ruth.
Interested parties and individuals attend a presentation by the Guam Cal Ripken Baseball League in the Ada gym conference room on Wednesday.
Photo by James F. Sablan Jr.
Cal Ripken 12U President Roke Alcantara Jr. alongside his father, commissioner and recent Hall of Fame inductee Roke Alcantara Sr. and assistant commissioner Joe Young, share the opportunities their group can offer to the CNMI youth during a presentation in the Ada gym conference room on Wednesday.
Photo by James F. Sablan Jr.
