Chelsea Little League Is Alive and Well and Optimistic about Its Future

Chelsea Little League used to have three Major League games a night on Diamonds 1, 2, and 3 at the old Chelsea Memorial Stadium. And on Saturdays, the Minor League teams would not only use those three diamonds but Diamond 4 at the old Carter Park.

Great youth leaders like Arnold Goodman, Phil Spellman, Rick Chapin, and Earl J. Ham made Chelsea Little League one of the most popular and respected organizations in the entire region.

In 1971, the Chelsea National League All-Stars, led by a pair of incredible pitchers, Carlos Moreno and Paul Wheeler, nearly led their team all the way to the Little League World Series, losing in the state semifinals in what was then a single-elimination tournament. Manager Bo Morse and coach Bill Plona were the leaders of this unforgettable contingent around which the whole city rallied.

Chelsea would go on to win District 10 titles in 1972, 1973, and 1974, led by such amazing talents as Eddie Richard, David Batchelor, Johnny Amentola, Steve Ovalle, and Dan Ovalle. In fact, David Batchelor would go on to manage the Peabody Western Little League team that qualified for the Little League World Series in Williamsport.

Alas, the enrollment in Chelsea Little League has dwindled although president Michael Glowacki did an outstanding job in leading the league through a tough season.

The league held its awards banquet Monday night at Prince Restaurant in Saugus. Shawn O’Regan is taking over as the new president and is confident that he can lead the league to lofty heights.

We wish Shawn and Chelsea Little League well as it moves forward and continues to provide local youth with an enjoyable and productive introduction to the sport of baseball.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *