PLAY BALL!

Tony Altobelli

Opening-day festivities for various youth baseball and softball

leagues throughout the Newport-Mesa area will kickoff the upcoming 2000

season with a bang.

The Newport Beach Little League will be having an Opening Day carnival

and parade Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. Along with rides, dunking booths

and donated food by Carl’s Jr. and Starbucks Coffee, there will be a

rematch of last year’s majors division championship between the Yankees

and Mariners.

A silent auction and raffle with over 30 prizes and a surprise guest

speaker will also be on hand.

The Newport Harbor Baseball Association brings former Anaheim Angels

player Rex Hudler into Saturday’s festivities, along with the

carnival-like atmosphere at Mariners Park.

The Newport Beach Police and Fire departments will have demonstrations,

along with a silent auction of 85 different items.

Food ranging from Crispy Creme Doughnuts to Outback Steakhouse will be on

hand, with the festivities beginning at 11 a.m.

The Costa Mesa American Little League will be presented with the Mayor’s

Cup by Mayor Gary Monahan for winning the annual battle with the Costa

Mesa National Little League.

Festivities begin at Costa Mesa High beginning at 8:15 a.m. There will be

a parade and food, along with a field dedication to Ron Amburgey and Jack

Carich.

The Costa Mesa National Little League also kicks off on Saturday with

competition and a barbecue at TeWinkle School beginning at 11 a.m.The

Pacific Coast Bobby Sox’s Opening Day party will take place Saturday at

Bonita Creek Park in Newport Beach from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year’s

events will include a clinic and demonstration by the Chapman University

softball team, a disk jockey, an all-league aerial photograph, raffle

prizes, a picnic lunch and friendly scrimmage games.

The regular season games are scheduled to begin on Monday.