HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, Arkansas — Four hundred sixty-five kids signed up for the new youth league baseball teams that will play starting in April at Hot Springs’ new five-field Majestic Park baseball complex.
“We had to end registration because that’s the limit to the number of players who can use the five fields,” said Derek Phillips, general manager at Majestic Park. “We have started a waiting list and will place additional kids on teams as slots become available.”
“We registered 465 kids — boys and girls — for five divisions of baseball for ages 5 through 15,” he added. “We have four youth fields and one full-size field to accommodate players on 44 teams.”
Phillips said practice would begin Monday (March 7) and league play will start April 4. Games will be played Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights. Majestic Park has 40 practice times and 34 game times, he said.
“Youth baseball is back in Hot Springs,” Visit Hot Springs CEO Steve Arrison said. “Derek and his team have done an incredible job of getting Majestic Park ready for baseball games and in handling the signup period for the youth leagues.
“We all send a big thank you to all of the volunteers who stepped up to coach during this inaugural season, and to all the donors to the Majestic Park Scholarship Fund that allowed more than 60 scholarships to be awarded so every child would have the opportunity to have the equipment and wear the uniform to play ball.”
The scholarship fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was established to assist kids who can’t afford to sign up or buy baseball equipment. This was created to make sure any boy or girl will be able to play ball at Majestic Park.
The youth baseball program at Majestic Park is for kids age 5 to 15 in the Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth League.
Phillips said, Majestic Park is proud to bring back the league for baseball for all kids in our community. The league was a huge part of this community and has been missing for the last few years.”