Photo by Chris Sykes A base runner for the home team representing the Orange Recreation Department in the second game of a doubleheader during the Opening Day games on Saturday, May 20, watches the pitcher from the visiting Ivy Hill team from Newark throw a pitch to his teammate, who was in the batter’s box, hoping to get a hit.
A base runner for the home team representing the Orange Recreation Department in the second game of a doubleheader during the Opening Day games on Saturday, May 20, watches the pitcher from the visiting Ivy Hill team from Newark throw a pitch to his teammate, who was in the batter’s box, hoping to get a hit.
ORANGE, NJ — The Orange Recreation Department Youth Baseball League hosted its opening day at Metcalf Park on Saturday, May 20.
Members of the Johnson family said they were more than happy to participate.
“We’re out here supporting our local youth T-ball game; he plays for the youth team and we’re out here having fun and it’s a great time,” said Dorsett Johnson, who attended the opening event with his son, Anthony, and wife, Kimberly. “It’s never too young to start playing baseball. There are a lot of recreation opportunities, a lot of things for your kids to do. Instead of running the streets, they can come here, play baseball; they have soccer, football, flag football, all that stuff.”
Kimberly Johnson credited Recreation Department Director Greg Tynes and Mayor Dwayne Warren, saying they “have done a really good job communicating with the parents and trying to get the parents involved as well as getting the kids out here.”
“They’ve done a really good job,” said Kimberly Johnson on Saturday, May 20. “Just put it this way: We’re East Orange residents and I’ve had a better experience with the Orange Recreation than I’ve had with East Orange, which is why I’ve come back to the Orange programs. Last year was my first year with Recreation. So I came back this year, instead of signing up with East Orange. It’s just a better experience.”
Dorsett Johnson said opening day was a great way to kick off summer recreation programs in Orange.
“You’ve got to go where they provide the opportunity,” he said Saturday, May 20. “Hopefully, it’s a great season. We’re starting off well. They had a great activity today, with food, baseball, great music. It’s the best experience I had so far.”
Head coach Kelvin Tippett of the Orange Recreation Department’s Minor League Royal Giants team said that’s what he likes to hear from his players’ parents.
“Our players are from ages 7 to 12 and today was opening day, and we had popcorn and a lot of festivities going on. We had two games and, in our first one, we beat Elizabeth 1-0, which brought our record to 2-0 and, hopefully, we’ll move up to 3-0,” Tippett said Saturday, May 20, while his team was winning 2-0 against the visiting team from Ivy Hill in Newark in the second game of the doubleheader of the day.
“Baseball taught me patience and, honestly, a couple of kids here had no patience when they started with me and, now, it’s like a brotherhood, where they can learn something else, other than streets and gangs and violence. I believe that’s an excellent thing.”
Tippett also said he’s happy the Orange Recreation Department has expanded the number and variety of activities available to city youth since Tynes has taken over the department.
“I tell my parents ‘teamwork leads to dream work’ and I’m not just here as a coach, I’m here as a mentor,” Tippett said. “When we first started the season, we didn’t have enough kids and kids didn’t start enrolling until right before the first game started, so that’s when I got all my kids and now I’m actually over with too many kids. With me, everybody gets to play. I break it down to each inning; every kid goes in, some come in, some come out. Everybody gets to bat. But only nine people can play the field and I try to incorporate everybody to get enough playing time and make sure that it’s fair.”
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