(PHOTOS) Decatur Youth Baseball Opening Day
Aidan Knapp (center left) and his team cheer as the ceremony for the opening day of Decatur Youth Baseball comes to a close at Oakhurst Park.
Photo: Jonathan Phillips
By Jonathan Phillips, contributor
Summer has come to Decatur and with summer comes youth baseball. The cheers, the teams chanting, the crack of a bat, all familiar sounds as families rally around their players.
Each year the Decatur Youth Baseball program opens up their season with a neighborhood parade. Teams climb into the beds of pick up trucks and make their way from McKoy Park to Oakhurst Park for the opening day ceremony.
This year former Atlanta Hawks player Mike Glenn threw out the opening pitch as teams in bright colored jerseys readied for the first games of the season.
Jessica Smith (center) waves as teams with the Decatur Youth Baseball program ride in the back of trucks down East Lake Drive during a parade to celebrate opening day of the season on Saturday.
Photo: Jonathan Phillips
Teams with the Decatur Youth Baseball program ride in the back of trucks down East Lake Drive during a parade to celebrate opening day of the season on Saturday.
Photo: Jonathan Phillips
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Clarence Scott (left), Harry Flourny and Mike Glenn, all former pro athletes, participate in the ceremony for the opening day of Decatur Youth Baseball at Oakhurst Park.
Photo: Jonathan Phillips
Teams with the Decatur Youth Baseball program ride in the back of trucks down East Lake Drive during a parade to celebrate opening day of the season on Saturday.
Photo: Jonathan Phillips
Teams with the Decatur Youth Baseball program ride in the back of trucks down East Lake Drive during a parade to celebrate opening day of the season on Saturday.
Photo: Jonathan Phillips
Teams with the Decatur Youth Baseball program ride in the back of trucks down East Lake Drive during a parade to celebrate opening day of the season on Saturday.
Photo: Jonathan Phillips
Teams with the Decatur Youth Baseball program ride in the back of trucks down East Lake Drive during a parade to celebrate opening day of the season on Saturday.
Photo: Jonathan Phillips
Coach Brett Duke (center0 talks to his team as the ceremony for the opening day of Decatur Youth Baseball comes to a close at Oakhurst Park.
Photo: Jonathan Phillips
Artesha Chaney uses a bullhorn as she sings the national anthem during the ceremony for the opening day of Decatur Youth Baseball at Oakhurst Park.
Photo: Jonathan Phillips
Aidan Knapp (center left) and his team cheer as the ceremony for the opening day of Decatur Youth Baseball comes to a close at Oakhurst Park.
Photo: Jonathan Phillips
Teams with the Decatur Youth Baseball program walk out onto the field at Oakhurst Park for the opening day ceremony on Saturday.
Photo: Jonathan Phillips
Keisha Cunningham (left) talks to teams using a bullhorn during the ceremony for the opening day of Decatur Youth Baseball at Oakhurst Park.
Photo: Jonathan Phillips
Mike Glenn (right), a former Atlanta Hawks player, throws out the opening pitch during the ceremony for the opening day of Decatur Youth Baseball at Oakhurst Park.
Photo: Jonathan Phillips
Mike Glenn (right), a former Atlanta Hawks player, walks out onto the field during the ceremony for the opening day of Decatur Youth Baseball at Oakhurst Park.
Photo: Jonathan Phillips
Players gear up for their games as the ceremony for the opening day of Decatur Youth Baseball comes to a close at Oakhurst Park.
Photo: Jonathan Phillips