Viewfinder: New Little League Field Set to Host Second Season

In 2010, the Fort Lee American Little League celebrated its first year playing baseball on its newly renovated, state-of-the-art baseball field on Anderson Ave. The league hosted the 11/12 year old tournament for the District 6 finals, with Fort Lee’s own 11/12-year-old All-Star team winning the title. The new field is also home to championship teams from 2009 and 2010.

The field features a fully artificial, Astroturf-like surface except for the pitcher’s mound (little league rules), handicapped accessibility and state-of-the-art scoreboards, dugouts, clubhouses and press boxes.

Richard Radoian, who has been with the league for 25 years since his kids played and has been president of the league for the past 21 years, estimated the cost of the of the new field at $400,000 but said it would have cost a lot more than that if not for the contributions of coaches, parents and other community members.

“We have a bunch of great coaches who are builders, who are electricians, so this is a family,” Radoian said. “Before that it was a complete grass and dirt field. You can call it a renovation, but it was a total renovation. It’s out of this world. I have people calling from all over the county wanting to play here. The field is used every day of the week.”

Try-outs are Sunday at the Middle School Gym from 8 to 11 a.m. Opening day for the Fort Lee American Little League is Saturday, April 9.