By SUE PASCOE Special to the Palisadian-Post One of the biggest annual events in the Palisades will take place Saturday morning at Palisades Recreation Center as the Palisades Pony Baseball Association opens its season. As baseball music wafts through the park, the spring rite of passage will once again be celebrated with the traditional pancake breakfast, the throwing out of the first pitches, and the first games of the youth baseball season. All former PPBA coaches and board members are encouraged to join in the dedication of the recently-completed Field of Dreams complex. Pancake breakfast will be served from 7:30 to 11 a.m. for #3 a plate and the field dedication ceremony will begin promptly at 9 a.m. A slew of dignitaries, including Palisades’ honorable mayor, Steve Guttenberg, will be at the event. PPBA Commissioner Bob Benton promises many surprises during the ceremony. Back by popular demand, 12-year-old Bronco Orioles player Patrick Elder will sing the National Anthem. Fitness guru Jake Steinfeld and former gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon will throw out the first pitches. Organizers wish to thank the 99 Cent Only Store, which donated all the paper goods; Domino’s Pizza, which underwrote the printing for pancake tickets; Starbucks, which once again will keep the town awake with coffee; Carl’s Junior, which is donating all the sausage; and Ralphs, which not only sponsored a team, but also money towards orange juice and milk. Sponsors of the prizes for the top ticket sellers include the Pepperdine, Westside, and UCLA Baseball Camps, Benton’s Sport Shop, Palisades Skate Shop, Baskin-Robbins, Blockbuster Video, Domino’s Pizza, and UCLA and Pepperdine for bat boy/bat girl opportunities. After or in between the games, visit the west side of the fields, where the Bat and Grill will fire up the barbecue and serve hot dogs, hamburgers, peanuts, ice cream and the like at the complex’s brand new concession stand. The unsung heroes of insuring that every single citizen of the Palisades will have pancakes on their plate Saturday morning are: Lisa St. John who chaired the undertaking, Mary Elizabeth Horan Lutz who organized all the tickets, in charge of volunteers Tamara Bland, shopping and kitchen organizers Joan Kahn, Lori Kupfer, and Patty Smith, decorations are by Teresa Closson and Brooke Rasmussen. In charge of prizes for winning players was Lawry Meister. Keeping the java flowing are Kathy and Pat McRoskey and in charge of baseball school procurement was Denise DeSantis. The following local merchants have hit a home run in sponsoring teams: Benton’s Sport Shop, Denton’s Jewelers, DBL Realtors, Gelsons, Islands Surf Shop, Dr. Jacobson, Jakel’s Unocal Service, Kay N Dave’s, M.C. Skinner & Associates, Mort’s Palisades Deli, Norris Hardware, Optimist Club, Prime Times Sports, Ralph’s Fresh Faire, Regal Cleaners, Village Books, Baskin Robbins, Palisades Patrol, Morgan’s Cafe, Sports Mania, CBRE/The Pion Group, StorQuest Self Storage, Z Gallerie, and Village One-Hour Photo. Anyone still wishing to donate to the Field of Dreams fund should call Mike Skinner at 478-5041.
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