The Clark C. Griffith Collegiate Baseball League, which was founded in 1945, is named after the early Washington Senators owner. Griffith, the father of Calvin Griffith, funded the league during its earliest years, when games were played on the Ellipse behind the White House. Today, there are five teams in the Griffith League, fielding talent from colleges across the nation. The Shenandoah Valley League offers fans a genuine rural baseball experience. The games are played in the old parks of Front Royal, Harrisonburg, Staunton, New Market, Waynesboro and Winchester.
Players rake and line the fields, and umpires sometimes let kids help scuff the balls before games.
They have hand-operated scoreboards and old wooden fences. It's a wonderful small-town baseball feel. Phone number and Web site list information regarding schedules and directions to games. The ever-widening disparity between minor league and major league ticket prices is another lure at the disposal of minor league teams, as are newer ballparks that offer big league touches. Bowie, Frederick and Delmarva all play in sparkling facilities that were constructed within the past 10 years.