PPBA Opening Day

Actress Mary McDonnell Throws First Pitch of Season

The threat of rain last Saturday morning forced the Palisades Pony Baseball Association’s opening day pancake breakfast to be moved indoors, but that did not dampen the enthusiasm of the event one bit. Hundreds of players and their families packed the small gym at the Palisades Recreation Center to celebrate a local tradition that began 51 years ago and remains as strong as ever thanks to countless volunteers, coaches and sponsors’many of whom were recognized by Mike Skinner, who is in charge of fundraising for maintenance of the ‘Field of Dreams’ complex that the PPBA used for the first time last season. ‘I want to give a big thanks to Lisa St. John, who organized this entire event,’ Skinner told an attentive audience in his opening statement. ‘I also want to recognize Bob Benton, who has been our Commissioner now for 15 years now. He has given this organization an unbelievable amount of his time and and is a huge asset to the community.’ Shortly thereafter, ticket coordinator Mary Elizabeth Lutz announced that PPBA players raised $500 more than last year. With the help of his brother, Ryan, Chase Pion raised $775 and earned a week’s worth of lessons at the Pepperdine Baseball Camp this spring. Other players who raised significant amounts were Jacob Parria, Chris Murch, Evan Green, Brett Elder, Drew Pion, Tyler Newman, Max Margolis, Oliver Levitt, Joe Rosenbaum, Jack Hurst, Preston Clifford and Charlie and Chad Wyman. Lutz also thanked PPBA’s corporate sponsors for their support and David Kloser, author of the recently published ‘Stepping up to the Plate,’ who is donating 50 percent of the book sales to the organization’s field maintenance fund. A brief introduction by Skinner brought actress Mary McDonnell to the stage for the first pitch. After tossing the ball right down the middle to Bronco Oriole Evan Abraham, McDonnell threw her hands in the air, earning a thunderous ovation from the crowd. ‘It is such an honor and a thrill for me to do this,’ said McDonnell, who currently portrays a President on the show ‘Battlestar Galactica’ but is best known for her role opposite Kevin Costner in the movie ‘Dances with Wolves.’ ‘One of the coaches, Hugh Dodson, coaches my sons’ flag football and basketball teams and he asked if I wanted to do it.’ McDonnell and her husband, Randle Mell, have lived in the Palisades for 13 years, ever since they rented a home here for four months during the filming of the movie ‘Grand Canyon.’ ‘What I love most about living here is that parents take care of each other’that’s gold,’ McDonnell said. ‘That makes such a difference. This community is so special. Sometimes I don’t leave for days.’ Brett Elder’s brother, Patrick, sang the National Anthem, after which players took to the fields for their first games of the 2005 season. Although rain cancelled games in the afternoon, Pinto and Bronco games were completed in the morning. In the Pinto Division, the Dodgers beat the Phillies 9-4 and in the Bronco Division, the Braves and Cardinals tied 4-4. Kevin McKenzie of the Braves scored the tying run in the sixth inning on a double to center field by James Ondaatje. Cardinals pitcher then threw a strikeout to end the Braves’ threat. Evan Meister held the Cardinals scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings and Matt Demongenes did the same in the final inning.