Joy League set to begin 61st consecutive season

Joy League Baseball in Homewood begins registering boys and girls for its 61st consecutive season of daytime baseball on Feb. 3, 2018. Registration continues each Saturday in February from 9 a.m. until noon at Edgewood Elementary School, 901 College Avenue.

League games are played on Saturday mornings. They begin on March 31 and end on June 30, followed by a family watermelon picnic. Boys and girls ages 4-12 are eligible to play. Each team practices one hour a week. Cost per player is $30.

Now serving its third generation of players, the Joy League began when several boys ages 10-12, including a son of Joy League Founder John J. Smith Sr., tried out for area youth baseball teams. Many of them did not get on a team. However, they still wanted to learn how to play baseball.

In the spring of 1958, Smith rounded up 67 boys and established the league. Smith visited fire stations and police precincts in the area to recruit volunteer coaches, one of whom was then-Homewood Fire Chief Howard Fields.

Last year there were 18 teams in Joy League, and nearly 200 youth played. They are coached by parents, grandparents, other relatives and friends, and they play their games at Edgewood Elementary School. 

Two former Joy League coaches, Perry Akins and Ted Hagler currently serve as commissioners of the league.

Submitted by Bill Hutto.