Masks On, & Batter Up!

Head Coach Wayne Morrison and Assistant Coach Steve Britto brought New Haven’s Pop Smith All-Stars together in a circle before they took the field.

“Mask up,” the coaches reminded the players.

After giving his pre-game speech, Morrison shouted, ​“Who are we?” In a united voice, the players cried out, ​“Pop Smith!”

This mantra was repeated three more times. With each repetition, the kid’s voices grew louder, and their enthusiasm rose higher.

The pre-game ritual concluded, and the game began.

That scene took place Thursday at Bowen Field, where, despite the pandemic odds, 10 – 12-year-olds continued to have the chance to play ball.

It was round one of the finals of this year’s Connecticut Little League All-Star Tournament. And New Haven’s Walter Pop Smith All-Stars were in the game. They played three games last week; two more will take place this week.

Since 1952, Walter Pop Smith Little League Baseball has been a stable staple of the New Haven community. Even with this year’s pandemic, the league found a way for the Pop Smith All-Star team to play.

That required some adjustments.

These all-star tournament games are usually played in June, at the end of the spring season. As with everything else, Covid-19 changed the game.

The All-Star tournament normally marks the end of Pop Smith’s spring baseball league, when districts from all over Connecticut assemble their best players and play against each other in hopes of advancing to the national tournament. This year there is no national tournament.

That’s not the only difference Covid-19 has brought to Pop Smith Little League Baseball. The sport’s quintessential hallmark, the dugout, has become another casualty of the pandemic. The vortex of adrenaline-fueled cheering, chewing gum, spitting of sunflower seeds, and rigid concrete seating has been replaced by metal bleachers installed behind the foul-ball fence for the players to sit, an ​“X” marking their designated spots.

The most visually jarring addition is the yellow caution tape that surrounds the players’ new outdoor dugout. The players were sequestered in their own game-time bubble.

League Vice-President Steve Itkin said usually the league consists of 250 to 300 kids. This year there were only about 80.

“It’s been rough because of Covid,” Itkin said. ​“Opening day is normally the last weekend of April and we have a big parade, but that didn’t happen this year. Nothing happened, just games.”

In their dark blue uniforms emboldened with ​“Pop Smith” in yellow, a sweeping banner announcing ​“All-Stars” beneath, the players on Thursday and Friday didn’t seem fazed by the new changes. They were there to play ball.

“We have a good team. We want to make it to the second round,” said King, one of the Pop Smith All-Star players.

The players said that the biggest change is the masks. Every kid had on a form of face covering. Some wore blue masks to match their uniforms. Some wore neck gaiters, and others had on masks with professional sports team’s logos. Coaches reminded them frequently to ​“mask up.”

“Baseball is easier to play in a pandemic,” said Ify Nwokoye, a Pop Smith parent. ​“And it gives the kids a sense of camaraderie and friendship. It’s been good for them.”

Parents were happy that their kids have gotten the opportunity to be amongst friends and socialize.

“Baseball has been a savior for our son. It’s been a godsend,” said James Forman, another parent.

Pop Smith is more than just baseball. It is a community that has been supporting New Haven’s young aspiring athletes since its founding. Head Coach Morrison said that the league has provided a much-needed space for the kids.

“It’s vital to the heartbeat of the community to have baseball for the kids,” Morrison said. ​“It’s been in this community for over 60 years.”

Venson Taylor, who has been a Pop Smith coach for over 30 years, came with his father to the game this past Thursday just to watch and support the players. While his father sat in a large green folding chair, Taylor spoke about his love for the game and the kids that he has coached over the years. Both were very proud to have had sons, daughters and grandchildren go through Pop Smith.

“I’ve been coaching for years. I’ve coached my kids and then my grandkids, but every player is my kid really,” Taylor said. ​“I do it for my heart. I love these kids, that’s why I do it.”

Morrison said he shares a similar connection with the players.

“I love these kids,” Morrison said. ​“I’ll go to war with them. They’re my kids.”

Itkin said he is worried about funds for the fall season of baseball. The summer league scraped by with fundraisers, and now the league is ​“down to the nub.” Usually, sponsors pick up teams and give money to the league. Because so many businesses have had to close their own doors due to the pandemic, Pop Smith has been strapped for funds. (Click here for more information on the league.)

At Thursday’s game against North Branford, an RBI double in the first inning and then an RBI triple in the fourth inning put Pop Smith up 2 – 0. Then in the bottom of the fourthth inning, North Branford’s team came roaring back, scoring three runs to take the lead. 

As the game came to its finale and Pop Smith prepared to make their last stand, the shadows of Hillhouse High School were crawling down the field. Pop Smith was down only a few runs.

Coach Morrison brought the players back together and again asked, ​“Who are we?”

To which the players responded resoundingly, ​“Pop Smith!”

Even down by three, the players let everyone know who they are with the same vigor.

Though Pop Smith ended up losing their game 5 – 3, and another on Friday to North Haven, they’re still in the tournament. They hope to win their games this week and move into the second round of the All-Star tournament. Until then, win or lose, they are Pop Smith.