CRACK OF THE BAT; IT'S TIME TO PONY UP IN SIMI.Byline: David Greenberg The creator of this article, or someone who has substantially contributed to it, may have a conflict of interest regarding its subject matter. It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia's content policies, particularly neutral point of view. Daily News Staff Writer Seeing his 7-year-old son Darren in a Dodgers uniform Saturday brought back a stream of Little League memories for Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. resident Don Gaudioso, whose family was heavily into the sport when he was growing up. Don's older son Ryan, a 19-year-old Moorpark College Moorpark College is a California-state funded community college located on a 134 acre (542,000 m²) property reclining on a hill in Moorpark, a town in Ventura County, California. freshman, has volunteered as assistant coach of Darren's team this season while eyeing an eventual transfer to a four-year university. ``It's an opportunity to be involved with him a little more before I leave,'' Ryan said. On Saturday, Darren and 524 other youths suited up for the first day of the 1999 Simi Youth Baseball PONY League The Pennsylvania-Ontario-New York League, also known as the PONY League, was a Class D minor league baseball circuit that played from 1939 through 1956. The forerunner of the modern Class A New York - Penn League, the PONY served as the first professional baseball address of season. The 35-year-old organization is the largest youth baseball league in the city, with participation increasing percent over last year. It offers children in Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. and Newbury Park the chance to play by high school rules at an earlier age. The 49 teams are broken down into five divisions: Shetland, or T-ball, for ages 5 and 6; Pinto for 7 and 8; Mustang for 9 and 10; Bronco bronco: see mustang. for 11 and 12; and Pony for 13 and 14. The younger teams play 18 games during a season, which ends in mid-June, while the older teams will compete as many as 27 times - including games against other cities for the Pony division. Simi Valley Youth Baseball, which plays by PONY League rules, differs from Little League in several ways. Using PONY League rules, the players pitch to each other, lead off and steal bases beginning at age 7, while most Little League-sanctioned teams begin pitching to each other at 9 as well as leading off, and stealing bases at 13. ``Running around the bases - that's what I like "That's What I Like" was a popular single by Jive Bunny & the Mastermixers. Father and son team Andy and John Pickles repeated the formula which had took their record Swing The Mood to number one a few months previously. most,'' said Matthew Newbill, 6, of Simi Valley. ``I never get (called) out.'' Little League teams also play T-ball through 7 and often group ages 9 through 12 together. ``I do have a preference with PONY,'' said Ed Toczynski, Simi Valley Youth Baseball president. ``I think it better prepares them for high school play.'' For the players themselves, opening day was a chance to meet teammates, take group pictures, munch on hot dogs and shoot down a 37-foot-high inflatable slide. There were home-run derbies, accuracy-in-throwing contests and base-path races. ``It's a tradition,'' Don Gaudioso said of youth baseball. ``It's the American sport, part of growing up in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . It teaches kids to get along with other kids - try to do your best and compete and still have fun.'' For 9-year-old Newbury Park resident Michael Kozlowski, playing for the Mustang division Cardinals offers the chance to play for the namesake of his idol, Mark McGwire ``He's really a good ballplayer,'' Kozlowski said. ``He's a good role model.'' CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO (Color in Simi Edition only) Reece Schmidt, 5, prepares to launch one off the tee during the opening day of the Simi Youth Baseball PONY League season. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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