[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6385]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      IN HONOR OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DELMAR LITTLE LEAGUE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL N. CASTLE

                              of delaware

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 17, 2008

  Mr. CASTLE. Madam Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise 
today to recognize the Delmar Little League, which will celebrate its 
opening day and 50th anniversary on April 19. For one half-century, the 
Delmar Little League has been providing the only organized summer 
activity open to all youths in the town of Delmar, Delaware.
  The Delmar Little League was chartered in 1958 under the leadership 
of Epperson ``Eppie'' Culver, who also became the league's first 
president and one of the league's first coaches. The league was 
initially organized into four teams: the Vets, sponsored by the Delmar 
VFW Memorial Post 8276, the Moose, sponsored by Moose Lodge No. 582, 
the Firemen, sponsored by the Delmar Fire Department, and the Lions, 
sponsored by the Delmar Lions Club. The inaugural season was officially 
dedicated on August 15, and the first games were played on a corner lot 
provided by the Delmar Fire Department. That year, using equipment 
given to the league by the Delmar Kiwanis Club, the four teams only 
played against each other: they did not compete with any other teams 
outside of the league.
  By the 1959 season, the Delmar Little League had grown to 60 boys, 
and the league had its own field on which to play. The league held a 
contest to decide on the name of the park. The winning entry was 
submitted by James Mills, and Pote Field was dedicated on June 19, 
1959. The new location was named for Monroe Pote, or ``Mr. Baseball'', 
as he was known in Delmar. Mr. Pote is credited with establishing the 
first organized baseball team in Delmar in 1922, along with many other 
sports teams and organizations for the young men of his town. Mr. Pote 
became an inspiration and a father figure to many of the boys that he 
coached. 1959 proved to be a milestone year for the league in scoring, 
as well: the first home run was scored by Gary Wooten on May 30 and the 
first grand slam by John Ehrlich on June 23. The league formed its 
original First All-Star Team in 1960.
  The league moved to its present facilities in 1962, when the park's 
namesake. William Gordy, Sr., donated the land for a new field. Today, 
there are 449 players registered in the Delmar Little League, with over 
half of the players hailing from Delaware. In addition, the league has 
hosted several state level tournaments. The Delmar Little League 
established a female softball division in 1982 and the baseball league 
is now open to young women, as well.
  I acknowledge the Delmar Little League for 50 years of promoting 
physical fitness and community involvement amongst young people in the 
State of Delaware. I am confident that the league will continue to do 
so for many more years to come.

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