For Compete's Sake

MLB invites kids to have a ball

Comments (0) By Brendan Joel Kelley and Jill Koch Thursday, Apr 3 2003

Mon 4/7

Jason Hill

Minors' league: Kids step up to the plate.

Cast party: Family Fishing Day lures anglers.

Happy campers: Desert Stages mines star potential.

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So your little kid looks, acts, talks and pitches like a mini-me of Randy Johnson - we're sorry about everything but the pitching, really... what's a parent to do? Chances are you'd be well-served by taking the tyke (or tyke-ette) to the Major League Baseball National Pepsi Pitch, Hit & Run competition to get your little cash cow's money-udders pumping.Children ages 7 to 14 can participate in this free event featuring four categories of baseball challenges: batting, fielding/throwing, pitching and base running. The program focuses on the "fun" elements of baseball (no, not beer drinking) and encourages kids to participate and excel in competition. Winners at the local level will advance to sectional championships, and national winners will go to the championships at the MLB All-Star Game.

The competition is scheduled for Monday, April 7, at the Paseo Racquet Center ball fields, located at 63rd Avenue and Thunderbird in Glendale. Preregistration is required by Friday, April 4. Call 623-930-2832 for details. -- Brendan Joel Kelley

Reel Deal

Sat 4/5

Seeking free fun? Here's the hookup on Family Fishing Day: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 5, at the Estrella Mountain Ranch Yacht Club, 9760 South Estrella Parkway in Goodyear. Game and Fish Department reps will provide 100 poles with barbless hooks to teach casting, and a ranger will discuss the desert flora. Call 623-386-1000 for details. -- Jill Koch

Child Plays

Budding Brandos and Bergmans can get ready for their close-ups at Desert Stages Summer Camp, where actors ages 5 to 15 learn staging and choreography in three-week sessions, the first beginning June 9. Curtain call is at 9:30 a.m., Monday through Friday, at the theater, 8473 East McDonald in Scottsdale. Tuition is $375 per session; call 480-991-8197 to register. -- Jill Koch