Mill Creek Junior Baseball League: History and facts

The League

The Mill Creek Junior Baseball League began play in 1955 with six teams.

The league is currently home to 30 boys teams and 20 girls teams.

The current president of the league is Bill Helsel.

Age groups for boys are 6-8, 9-10, 11-12, Pony (13-14) and Colt (15-17.)

Age groups for girls are Cupcakes (6-9), Pig Tails (10-12) and Slo Pitch (13-16.)

Registration prices: 6-8 boys and 6-9 girls, $35. 9-12 boys and 10-12 girls, $40. 13-16 girls, $50. 13-14 boys, $80.

Each team is sponsored by a local business.

kBoys’ sponsors: Precision Tune Auto Care, S R Land Company, Youngstown Plumbing and Hardware, First Place Bank, Westside Hornets, Sandwich Factory, Lally Pipe Tube, Briarfield Manor, Winterburn Construction, Barauer’s Bar Grill, Kernan Insurance, Pattrick O’Horo Insurance, RT Vernal Paving, The Diamond Rays, Wedgewood Pizza, Harvey Law Office, Eurocar, Inc., FOP Lodge 28, Avalon Gardens, Gem Young Insurance and Financial Services, Mahoning Pain Management, Wright Industries, Austintown Immediate Care, Financial Cendert of Canfield, Kovach Insurance Group, Murphy Contracting, Sciortino County Auditor, Catholic War Vets, Creekside Fitness, Williamson Home Improvement, Wharmby Sports.

kGirls’ sponsors: Cornersburg Sparkle, Marlowes Coffee, Cornersburg Dairy Queen, Kovach Insurance Group, Inner Circle Pizza, Amanda’s Angels, Komara Jewelers, Youngstown Firefighters, Kinnick Funeral Home, Austintown Financial, Home Savings, Independence Business Supply, Haggerty Electric, Photo Image, Superior Auto Body, Rita’s Italian Ice.

From 1955-1957, teams played at Boardman Park. By 1957, six more teams had joined the league, and games were moved to Kirkmere playground on Youngstown’s west side.

In 1967, three new fields were constructed at Schenley Avenue and Bears Den Road, specifically for the MillCreek league. They were called Arco Fields, later named Kramer Fields, in honor of Red Kramer, the league’s founder and longest serving president.

The girls’ softball league was added in 1974.

League teams currently play in two tournaments. The 11-12 year old boys’ all-star team participates in the Cal Ripken State Tournament. Girls’ and boys’ all-star teams are also chosen to participate in the Chuck Acri Memorial Tournament, which began in 1968.