On Thursday, July 16th, 1953 @ 7:00 pm at the Sespe Grammar School the 8 to 12 year old boys of Fillmore, Piru and Bardsdale, along with future Coaches and instructors met for their first practice. The boys who signed up, received some indoctrination and at last some basic instruction on how to play the game. The young men were asked to bring their own glove. The High School furnished all the bats, balls, first base gloves, and catchers’ gear thanks to Coach’s Palmer and Creed.

The plan was to have four practice sessions the next four Thursdays at which time each boy would be taught the fundamentals of baseball, running bases, throwing and hitting a ball. Toolie told the local paper that some of these boys had played softball, but for many this would be the first time they have ever gripped a baseball. Thirty-three young men showed up for that first organized practice.

The last practice Thursday, August 16th, 1953 had 81 boys from the local area, and one from Santa Paula School District. The boys received final instruction on catching, fielding, throwing and playing the various positions. Coach Palmer said, “they wanted the boys to have a good fundamentals knowledge of baseball before playing their first official game.” The previous weekend the coaches got together and divided the boys in to four teams, with each having a full roster plus four subs. It was rumored that the selection process involved funny money and a bidding process. Each player was issued a baseball cap and a tee shirt with Fillmore Little League stenciled on the front.

The schedule was to be a round robin tournament with each team playing each other once. Two games will be played each Thursday at the Grammar School starting Thursday August 20th. Regular Little League games are played on a field with outfield fences. Since fences did not exist on the Grammar School fields, one of the schools 1 ½” sprinkler hoses was arched across the outfield of both fields to delineate a home run fence.

The Coaches and Players

“The Midgets” Coached by Roy Hays and Sam Player.
Jim Arundell, Fred Delano, Roy Martin, Joe Cook, Garland Lemons, John Scoles, Stephen Flint, Jim Hibbard, Jim Bounds, Roger Westerburg, Jack Edmonds, Calvin Beeghly, Donnie Smith, Gene Chapin, Eddie Ybarra, Curtis Goodenough, Louis Delgado, Pat Askren, Al Carrillo, Frank Carrillo.

“The Bat Boys” Coached by Glen Philips and Don Mayfield.
Jack Howton, Dee Brown, Bill Mayfield, Tommy Hays, Arthur Chessani, Donnie Southwick, Donnie Myers, Larry Dunst, John Emmert, F. Owens, Donovan Main, Roger Ipswitch, Willard Harper, Kieth Warring, M. Romero, Herbert Bounds, Phillip Quezado Louis Ybarra, Danny Carrillo, Ruben Tovar, Phillip Tovar.

“The Stars” Coached by Hank Data and Johnny Chesanni.
John Arundell, Bobby Hays, Arthur Medina, Renaldo Chessani, Joe Council, James Pennington, Bob Deeter, Donald Wahl, Douglas Jordan, Shannon Shelton, Joe Myers, Rodney Helsel, Donnie Armstrong, Phillip Young, Joe Romero, Richard Hill, Don Brown, Roger France.

“The Yankees” Coached by Jim Cook and Mernie Young.
Kenton Knight, George Searcy, Donnie Goodenough, Adrian Sanchez, Eldon Collins, George Penrod, Fred Young, Sammy Bennett, David Player, Peter Phethean, Tommy Robertson, Johnny Method, John Sundstrom, Delivan Cappel, Gary Beckman, Dennis Charles, Bill Winterstein, Dennis Bartels, Danny Morastica, Ronald McClung, John Renollin.