Best of MPTLL #6: Fields and Facilities

Myers Park Trinity Little League is blessed to call Randolph Park its home. The Marshall-Caudle Little League Complex is the result of a little luck and a lot of hard work. It began to take shape after three decades of play on borrowed land across Randolph Road.

Here is what the area looked like in 1961. In that satellite image, E.C. Griffith Field is at the top left section of the photo. Caudle Field would be built just to its north many years later. What we now use and call "Grier Heights #1" is top right, directly across Randolph Road. At the bottom left is the old Culp Field, our Pony League / Babe Ruth field, before it became overgrown with ivy-covered outfield fences. And at the bottom right portion of the photo is the farmland that would become Randolph Park. Wade Field now sits directly across the street from where Culp Field once was.

When Lloyd Caudle, Tom Marshall and other volunteers secured the use of the Mecklenburg County land that is now Randolph Park in the early 1980's, it was originally constructed with two Little League fields and a Babe Ruth field. The Little League fields had dirt infields, no mounds and no outfield fences. Their were no bleachers - only a long concrete slab on each side of the backstop for fans to sit on. The dugouts had no roofs. There was a two-sided wooden scoreboard between the fields along a dirt walking path, which led to a small cinder-block concession stand (now "Billy's Building"). The fields were called Randolph East and West (later Kiser-Chapman) Fields, and they are still in use today.

Best of MPTLL #5: Volunteers

Myers Park Trinity is one of the largest youth sports leagues in Charlotte. It fields over 50 teams each spring regular season, plus about another 30 throughout the Fall Ball, Challenge and All-Star programs.

It takes a large group of dedicated people to fill the diverse roles necessary to run such a large, growing and improving organization. There are obviously the coaches. There are division coordinators. There is the grounds crew and concessions staff. There are league officers and a board of directors. There are people to manage things like sponsorships, registration, marketing, websites, tryouts, tournaments, fundraising, construction and - being in a county park - government relations.

All of these people are volunteers. Many of them do not have children in the league. Some of them put in a handful of hours nearly every day for the benefit of Myers Park Trinity. Why do they do it? Because they know a good thing when they see it. They are passionate about it. They know it's good for the kids and they want it to last. They also know it's refreshing and energizing to be around baseball and softball, and to spend time good people.

So get involved. As they say, the more you put into something, the more you get out of it. That's certainly true at Myers Park. I can't think of a better organization to be a part of.

In case you missed it.....

Best of MPTLL #1: Community Atmosphere.

Best of MPTLL #2: Dedicated Coaches.

Best of MPTLL #3: Versatility.

Best of MPTLL #4: History and Tradition.

Best of MPTLL #4: History and Tradition

For a youth sports organization, Myers Park Trinity Little League has a very long history. The story of our early years has been well documented on this website. The Harry & Bryant team was one of the original six teams put together in 1951 as part of the city-wide American Business Club league. Our own organization was chartered in 1952, with Harry & Bryant and Al Browne's Service included. These teams are still in existence today and Myers Park is now the oldest league in Charlotte.

We also have a lot of tradition, something that doesn't always come with history. Al Browne still plays Harry & Bryant each year to start the spring season. Our coaches and other volunteers tend to stick around, many of them for several decades. Our Major League teams use the property system, so most of their players remain on the teams for multiple years. Those teams are like college athletic programs, with alumni and fans that may support them for years. Some of us come back to coach our teams. Our fields are sometimes named for our legends.

MPTLL is constantly evolving and improving. But we never lose sight of our history and tradition. Why is that important? Because it creates a sense that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. It is something that is lasting... something we can depend on. It is comforting to know that it has been here for previous generations, and if we care for it, it will be here for many more. And we will care for it, because being a part of something bigger than yourself is not only worthwhile. It is inspiring. It creates passion and energy. At the same time, it humbles us and gives us perspective, and that rubs off on the players. That's pretty special, and you can't find that for kids in many places. When you do, you hang onto it.

In case you missed it.....

Best of MPTLL #1: Community Atmosphere.

Best of MPTLL #2: Dedicated Coaches.

Best of MPTLL #3: Versatility.

Best of MPTLL #3: Versatility

Myers Park Trinity Little League is a multifaceted youth sports organization. At its heart, it is a recreational baseball and softball league, open to all players regardless of their individual talent level. From the most experienced ballplayer to the beginner playing for the first time, there is a place for everyone in our regular season. The less experienced players may participate in one of the league's instructional divisions, while the more experienced ones may enjoy a more competitive division, complete with standings, tournaments and a rich history. Our regular recreational season is a quality league unto itself. But we are more than a "rec league."

During the summer months, Myers Park Trinity places an emphasis on the All-Star season. Our tournament teams have a long history of success, including a steady string of championship banners earned in recent years. In the last two years alone, Myers Park has won NC State Baseball Championships in each of the 10, 11 and 12-year-old age groups. But we are more than an All-Star program.

In the spring and fall seasons, our Challenge program provides an additional baseball experience and an alternative to travel ball, with a tournament schedule and an increasing emphasis on instruction and talent development, led by the new MP Academy. But there is still much more to Myers Park Trinity.

We are a softball program made up of competitive girls teams playing all over Mecklenburg County. We are a non-profit community organization, providing scholarships each season to over a hundred less-fortunate kids that would not otherwise be able to participate. We are a family of volunteers, not only maintaining a great league and outstanding facilities, but also building lifelong friendships and helping each other out when there is a need.

Such versatility by a youth sports organization is rare. Many leagues are unable to provide all of these opportunities for their families. They may exist primarily as a recreational league, and lose players wanting a more competitive experience. Or they may focus more on their Challenge or All Star programs, at the expense of their regular season league. But Myers Park Trinity is able to do both and serve the community at the same time. It is a complex task, and we are faced with more challenges each year. But the league is committed to making improvements in all areas every season so that we may continue the upward trend that began generations ago.

In case you missed it.....

Best of MPTLL #1: Community Atmosphere.

Best of MPTLL #2: Dedicated Coaches.

Best of MPTLL #2: Dedicated Coaches

Jake Wade, Harry & Bryant
Manager, 1957-Present

The eight Major League managers at Myers Park Trinity Little League have over 150 years of cumulative experience coaching their teams. The Minor League division has a few dedicated coaches of its own who return each year. The same can be said for our 13 and over MP Academy teams and some of the other areas of our league. You would be hard pressed to find many leagues in the world that can make those statements.

Myers Park Trinity is fortunate to have many parents that are willing to coach a team or help the league in some other capacity. Volunteer organizations depend on these types of valuable participants.

But being a parent with a child on the team is not a requirement for coaching at MPTLL. In our Majors division, it is the exception to the rule. Some of our longest serving coaches' children aged out of the program many years ago. Others do not yet have kids old enough to play. And some have kids who aged onto their teams after more than a decade of coaching. Volunteering to coach at Myers Park Trinity is a choice we make based on our dedication to our teams, the league and the game. We are caretakers of our teams and we strive to perpetuate the positive effects that youth baseball has had on our players for generations.

We do not coach our teams in order to create an ideal situation for our own children. We are here to stay, so we think long-term regarding what's best for our teams and the league - not just what makes our own kids have an enjoyable experience. "Daddy-ball," as it is often called, is a problem in many areas of youth sports. That is why many people have advocated for non-parent coaches. By having dedicated, full-time coaches in these divisions of play, Myers Park Trinity takes "daddy-ball" out of the equation for most of its players aged 10 and up during the regular season and all-stars. That is extremely rare these days, and it is one aspect of our league that sets us apart from so many. It is one of the fundamental reasons that MPTLL is a great league.

In case you missed it......

Best of MPTLL #1: Community Atmosphere.

Best of MPTLL #1 - Community Atmosphere

Online registration for Spring Baseball, Softball and T-Ball has begun. Not a bad time to reflect on what makes Myers Park Trinity so great. And it is great. So here are some of the best things about MPTLL, starting with....



1. Community Atmosphere. 

Whether you're at Randolph Park or Independence Park, MPTLL is a great place to spend a day at the fields. There's nothing quite like being at the ballpark on game day. It's a quiet and peaceful setting at the start of 9am batting practice, with perhaps a lingering chill in the air.  The well-manicured fields surrounding the cages are untouched apart from the work of the grounds crew and coaches to prepare them for the day ahead. The ping of bats begins to wake up the park.

A buzz of energy quickly takes over, with a couple dozen kids on each field starting the day of games simultaneously, each player full of hope for a successful day on the diamond. The parents settle in on the sidelines or head over to the concession stand with little ones for an early treat. The grounds crew can rest and enjoy the fruits of their labor - watching kids play ball.

And it continues like this into the late afternoon. On a nice day, the kids don't want to leave after their games, so the park is most full of life at midday. They can bask in the glory of a big win, or congratulate others on a job well done. They may grab lunch at the concession stand or the Burger Shack and watch their friends play. By age 12, they know almost every other player so there's always a game to watch. Or there is surely a game to be invented behind the backstop, because of course someone has a tennis ball in his bag. The young ones can just find a good spot to dig in the dirt.

The parents and coaches are happy to stay too. It's much better than the yard work or errands awaiting them. Why not stay another hour and catch up with old and new friends?

I think Jake Wade, who has coached his Harry & Bryant team since 1957, summed up the Myers Park Trinity atmosphere best: "In our league, everybody wins. Everything is good and right, as it should be. One can leave the real world and go out there and get refreshed. There are no diversions for the kids, no distractions, no drinking, drugs, smoking or cursing... just baseball."

What else can you say? This is how we spend our Saturdays. It's nothing new to MPTLL. It has been this way for over 60 years, and it will continue into the future....