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CSLL History:

Little League Baseball was first introduced to the children of Springfield in 1954 by a small group of fathers headed by Harry Wood, Vic Aldridge, Bill Abrams, Jim Owens, Kent Browning, Ray Ramsey and Frank Ralston. These men organized and transported 60 boys to Annandale to play in that program. Initial equipment was obtained from the then small number of community merchants and from the fathers themselves.

Franchised Little League came to Springfield a year later in 1955 with the granting of a charter to a four team League by the National Little League Headquarters in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The area franchised included all of what is now considered Springfield proper.

As the popularity of the program and the population of the area rapidly grew, it became necessary to split the League in 1962, and the North Springfield Little League became a separate program.

The Springfield program continued to expand through the 1960's with 16 Major League and 24 Minor League teams. In 1971, following the tremendous population explosion in the West Springfield area and the growth of the program participation to 1,150 boys, it was again necessary to divide the League. The West Springfield Little League began in 1972, leaving 475 boys in what is now the Central Springfield Little League (CSLL).

Since 1972, Central Springfield Little League has developed many innovations designed to improve baseball abilities and enjoyment. Among these are clinics, the use of pitching machines in the TB1(A) League and a TB-2 (T-Ball) program to introduce 5-6 year old children to baseball.

Other changes since 1972 included the expansion of the charter boundaries to encompass Saratoga, Newington Station, Chancellor Farms and the Franconia area west of Rose Hill; and in 1975, the lifting of the "boys only" policy by Little League Baseball, Inc. Initially, 15 girls registered in the program with girls now an integral part of the League at all levels.  In 1993, in conjunction with West Springfield Little League, we fielded our first Challenger Team for children with physical and mental challenges.  This program has grown to the largest in the world.

In 1999, CSLL established a fall baseball program, to focus on teaching baseball in a less competitive atmosphere.  The fall program encompasses all levels of little league play and, in the spirit of Little League cooperation, has developed into a multi-league program encompassing several District 9 Little Leagues.  CSLL also established a Juniors/Seniors program to allow 13-16 year olds the opportunity to continue to play at CSLL. 

Trailside Park, where most of our games are played, was originally a rock quarry owned by the Lynch Foundation.  In 1965, Edward Lynch allowed the League to develop fields there.  In exchange for developing and maintaining the fields, the Springfield Little League would have dedicated use of the facility – originally named Lynch Field in honor of Edwin Lynch.  In 1971, the Lynch Foundation offered to sell the property, located at the North end of Trailside Drive, to the Springfield Little League. However, when the League declined the offer, the property was sold to the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) in 1972, which allowed CSLL exclusive use of the fields in exchange for maintaining the park.  Along, with this change, the facility was renamed Trailside Park. 

In 1992, Field #1 at Franconia Park was added to our "Adopt-A-Field" agreement with the county and regular season games were first scheduled there in 1993.  These fields have been improved and are now used by the CSLL Juniors program. 

Tournament Championships:

In 1994, a group of 11-12 year olds from Central Springfield, after a couple of close calls in the State tournament, and after coming out of the losers bracket to win the Southern Region Tournament, went on to Williamsport.  There they defeated the East and Central Regions before falling to a team from California.  They wound up finishing second in the U.S. and lived the dream of all Little League players -- They played in the World Series at Williamsport, PA.  They did quite well, only losing two very close games to a strong California team.

Presidents of Springfield Little League: