MEDINA, Minn. — A slice of "Americana in July" is what Noah Rouen called Opening Day for little league baseball in Hamel, at Legion Park Field.
"We wanted to do something special for the kids," Rouen said.
Rouen said he didn't intend for the game's first pitch to be the first little league pitch thrown in the Twin Cities area since COVID-19, but it just kind of worked out that way.
"We were fortunate that our parents and kids wanted to play and trusted us with their safety, so we have 12 teams."
The grand opening of the new field involved a ribbon cutting by Hamel's mayor, as well as a ceremonial first pitch.
"It feels kind of normal. I'm glad to get out here too and see some real activity going on, it's something that we all miss doing," James Busch said, who's son plays on one of the teams that competed in the opener.
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"There is a risk," Busch said about allowing kids to start playing while the future of the virus and its effects are still uncertain, but he said the league is being smart and keeping kids safe.
"We have hand sanitizing stations, the kids are sitting six feet apart in the dugout, we've been telling them not to high-five, stuff like that," Rouen said.
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