Community Rallies to Support West Pasadena Little League

The West Pasadena Little League, a cornerstone of local youth baseball for decades, is reportedly facing declining numbers. In response, local organizations are rallying to bolster a league that has nurtured many young local athletes and fostered a love for baseball over years.

Alta Pasa FastPitch, an independent youth sports organization that is affiliated with the West Pasadena Little League, along with various local organizations, is participating in a Free Baseball Clinic at Robinson Park on Saturday, Feb. 3. The clinic aims to ignite greater community interest in youth sports and provide a platform for children to engage more in baseball.

“We’re putting on a huge baseball clinic and we’re inviting everybody,” said Robert Milton, President of Alta Pasa FastPitch and recent addition to West Pasadena Little League’s Board of Advisors. “We have some former ball players out, we’re going to have booths and things like that, and really the message is that we can save it. It’s a great facility down there. We think it’s a pillar in the community that has been around forever.”

“Back in the day when I was growing up, it was just so fun because we were two parks that would battle it out a lot, and they were a very strong park back then,” he said. “West Pasadena was very strong, and they held the legacy of Jackie Robinson. They held that legacy and they held it well.”

Clinics like this Saturday’s will be recurring, according to Milton, who said he aims to instill a sense of enthusiasm for baseball among the area’s youth.

A number of baseball professionals are expected to be at the Saturday event to mingle with the kids and help in the league’s rehabilitation, Milton told Pasadena Now.

“The ongoing plan is to continue to have a presence of baseball at Robinson Park, so we’re going to continue to have these types of clinics,” he explained. “They might be different from this one in particular, but different types of clinics so that they can learn all the different skills.

Milton said children will be able to sign up on the spot this Saturday, and the clinics will continue to be a staple at Robinson Park.

“We’re going to have professionals around your kids so that we can grow interest in the sport,” Milton said. “And once the community sees ongoing baseball at the park, we believe that will eventually grow this league and restore its glory.”

To contact Robert Milton, email westpasadenall@gmail.com or call (626) 863-0007.

To signup for the League, visit www.westpasadenall.com.