Mother Nature certainly cooperated with the start of the Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association (CMSA) Open Division softball season, as the league kicked off play at multiple fields on the North Side of the city May 1.
The temperature hovered near 60 degrees all day as the league is managing record numbers. There are a record 49 teams, up from 46 last year; and about 770 players, up from 710 last year.
League commissioner Jack Neilsen said the league, given its current field space, would be able to accommodate one more team, and that's about it.
There again is one top-tiered A-Division Division and only three B-Division teams, down from five last year. There are 25 in C and 20 in D.
"Opening weekend is always great; it's sort of like a family reunion because you get to see people who, quite often, you haven't seen since the league ended last year," Neilsen said. "The level of play appears to be about the same as in past years. I'm glad we again have an A-Division team, and they look amazing."
Neilsen is pitching this summer for the B-Division Dragons, which also features Ted Cappas and Frank Kisner, among others.
"This summer is going to be a lot of funand that really is our team motto, to have fun, regardless of the outcome of games," he said.
"Softball is such a fun sport to play, and it's great that CMSA offers levels of play for everyonefrom beginners to advanced players."
Neilsen said there are about 65 or 70 brand new players to the open division, a mostly male league, including about 10 who are playing in the upper divisions and played last season in other cities, such as, Boston, Columbus (Ohio) and Fort Lauderdale.
All open-division teams will play 20 games this season, which runs through mid-August. The annual Gay Softball World Series, which CMSA willhost, starts in late Augustand Neilsen said Chicago will be sending eight teams, up from five last year.