In the spring of 1954, while in 6th grade at El Centro Elementary, I decided to try out for little league baseball. I had heard about Little League and knew several of the boys in my class played. Following one of the tryouts held at the Little League field in the Arroyo Seco, the coach, Mr. Pinkney, pulled me aside in the dugout. With great care and compassion, he told me that I was not quite good enough to be on the team. I took the news hard since I was really beginning to enjoy sports and wanted to be a team member. About 2 weeks afterward, it was announced that a Minor Little League was forming and all boys were invited to try out. I made a team - the Giants - managed by Mr. Brown. Our games that summer were played at the Orange Grove Playground. Many boys, like me, were able to participate and we all had a great time. I ended up attending Junior and Senior High with Paul Pinkney and Bob Brown - sons of the 2 coaches I mentioned. Although we who played that first season weren't quite good enough for Little League, we were plenty good enough for Minor Little League.

Steve Ledder