BOZEMAN — Baseball in Montana has been struggling as numbers are declining in many American Legion programs around the state. But in Bozeman, one group is helping the game grow.
The Bozeman Baseball Association spent hundreds of hours planning to build brand-new baseball diamonds for their youth program. And on Saturday morning, more than 30 Little League teams took to the new complex to play a tournament.
Bozeman Baseball Association president Doug Hammell said these fields will not only keep kids playing the game, but teach them how to play it right.
“I think it’s critical. We are trying to teach the proper fundamentals, especially for our younger kids, you know, 6- to 8-year-old players — teaching them how to field a ground ball the correct way,” said Hammell. “We’re really thankful that the kids have a nice, quality playing surface to learn the fundamentals of the game.”
Hammell added that projects like these, paired with strong community support, have allowed Bozeman to avoid the national trend of declining numbers in baseball. In fact, his organization has actually seen steady growth in the area over the past few years.
