Time was, a family could go to the ballpark, plunk down a fiver, get change back, and spend an afternoon away from the clutter and chaos of everyday life. A simple day in the sun, with a beer in your hand, a scorecard in your lap, and your senses delighted with the smell of the grass, the sounds of the players and fans and the satisfying craaaaack of a wooden bat knocking a nasty slider out and over the fence.

            That time is thought by some to be long gone, but in the case of the Owensboro Oilers and the KITTY League (Kentucky, Illinois & Tennessee), the time is now. June is full of games at Chautauqua Park, and with a roster in place, practices in full swing and for the first time – beer for sale – the season is ripe for fans’ enjoyment.

            Some backstory on the Oilers and the KITTY League: In 2004, Paducah-based Randy Morgan decided to resurrect the league that had been a mainstay in the region through the 1930s to 50s. Back then, teams from small (often tiny) towns would get together, with players at about the college level, in terms of ability. The old league went the way of the St. Louis Browns, according to Oilers President Charlie Pierce, thanks to the emergence of games being shown on television. Many small regional leagues suffered similar fates.

            Recognizing the fact that there are many college players who want to keep playing through the summer, Morgan and other like-minded individuals assembled the six-team modern-day KITTY League. In addition to the hometown Oilers, teams include the Sikeston Bulls, Marion Bobcats, Tradewater Pirates, Fulton Railroaders and the Union City Greyhounds. And each team is fielded by young men between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six who have at least one year of NCAA eligibility remaining.

            From there, it’s all good old-fashioned ball. Not only do the young players use wood bats (many for the first time, which can help their skills in ways they might not have considered), but the games are frequent, nearly every day throughout the fifty-game schedule. Games are enjoyable for young and old alike, and make for affordable entertainment. General admission tickets are only $4 and reserved chair-backed seats are $6. Teens and seniors can get in for $3 and kids under 12 get in for free.

            One of the items of interest – especially for old school purists of the sport – is something Charlie Pierce is especially animated about in conversation. Since the players are using wooden bats, the strategies are different from the game with aluminum or composite bats. Pitchers must paint the corners in different ways; hitters must adjust their swing and think of baseball in terms that are really simply fundamental: get a man on base; advance the runner; score runs. As simple as that.

            Pierce says you’ll see elements of the game that are somewhat old fashioned, but again, to real fans of the sport, are a delight. Lots of hit-and-run plays, bunts, squeezes, and the strategies that we who love the game (especially low-scoring affairs that make for exciting endings) really like to see.

            So come on out and catch a game soon. For a full schedule of games, go to the Oilers’ website at www.owensborooilers.com. A listing of the team’s home games can also be found in the Nightlife section of this magazine. See you there!