Inside the Cupboard
The first of four ‘opening days’ for rec ball 2026 has come but you can’t say it’s gone.
The memories made last Friday night will last a lifetime in some of those there to support the Cottondale youth. Cottondale is the first and so far, the only city league in Jackson County to have their opening ceremonies at night.
Their decision to move opening ceremonies to under the lights could not have been any more successful than it has been the last two years. Call it fate, happenstance, whatever you want to call it, but the weather has been perfect both years.
I don’t know how it was possible because I thought the park was full to the brim last year, but this year’s crowd seemed to top that. From Tee ball to Ozone and Ponytails, every team supporters cheering them on.
It will be fun to watch for the next opening day on April 4. Two city leagues will take the field that day and they will have their work cut out for them to top Cottondale.
Sneads will have 22 teams taking the field with Marianna hosting 27 teams. Sneads will have some Grand Ridge athletes with Malone playing some at Optimist Park. The days of selling chicken dinners with the Milton’s sending a refrigerated truck loaded with chicken fingers and fries to Optimist Park so there was no shortage to feed the capacity crowd.
Crowds would start to gather at 8:00 for players to get that last minute warm up in with the fans starting to report around 8:30 to get their favorite seat. Royce Reagan would have the PA system up and running for the announcement of the teams.
Sneads has always had a spectacular opening day, going the extra mile for posterity’s sake. Although she’s given up the camera today, Kathy Johnson never missed an opening day when she had Twin City News.
You could go to the bank on their being a huge picture of every team lined up prior to the announcer saying “PLAY BALL”. Those front-page pictures will make memories that will last a lifetime for kids from five to 14 years of age.
Sadly, this may be the last generation to claim their fame with their pictures and names in a printed newspaper. As you have heard me say many, many times, change is not always good and no printed newspapers makes me sad (and not just because I would be without a job).
Getting those kiddos’ names and pictures in the paper means the world to me because I’ve seen firsthand the excitement in the kids’ faces when they see their picture and read what they did to help their team.
Pick a ballpark and head out there April 4 for two spectacular opening days and keep the traffic going to Cottondale during the regular season. That’s the way it is from Inside the Cupboard.
