A Guide to Youth Baseball Leagues in Douglas County, Oregon

As the rain fades for a day or two, those select few in Roseburg, Ore., who live for the crack of the bat, the smell of fresh cut grass and popcorn, and a baseball in their hands start to think about the pending baseball season.

Those who have kids in baseball leagues around the Umpqua Valley know that this is a hidden hotspot of youth talent on the diamond. If you have children who are just getting into the American pastime, or if you have just moved to the community, the following are a few of the local baseball leagues in the Douglas County area.

It is almost time to play ball.

Cal Ripken
Consisting of teams from the Sutherlin, Roseburg, Winston, and surrounding areas, this local youth baseball league is comprised of boy’s ages 4-12 years and girls ages 4-16. Within the context of these ages are the divisions of T-ball, machine pitch, rookie baseball, minors and majors levels of baseball, and girls’ minor, major, and senior levels of softball. This league is also a subdivision of the local and traditional Babe Ruth Baseball League for boys ages 13-15. The cost for each division is between $95 for T-ball, and $115 for Babe Ruth.

American Legion
The local Boys of Summer in Douglas County consist of kids ages 15-18. There are three teams American Legion teams in the Roseburg are: Pepsi, Horizon Motors, and Doc Stewarts. Pepsi and Horizon Motors are “A” level teams, and play other teams in the surrounding area at both the local and state level. The Doc Stewarts baseball team is level “AAA” team, and is comprised of the very best high school baseball players in Douglas County.

All three teams play their home games at Legion Field in Roseburg, which has been the site of the American Legion state, regional, and national tournaments in past years. The regular-season league schedule runs from the beginning of June (Right after the end of the high school season) through the end of July. If a team qualifies for the state tournament, they will play into the second week of August, and further if they advance to the regional and national tournaments.

Cal Ripken Fall Baseball and Softball
This league is a continuation of the summer league described previously. However, it is designed with the concept of development of the individual player in mind, as opposed to competition. The league is open to all players from the ages of 9-12. The mere cost of $55 per player pales in comparison to the coaching an instruction that the player will receive in the month and half of baseball. Ten games every weekend, as well as 2-3 practices per week are all geared towards the player getting time on the field, taking advantage of the usual mild and dry falls in Douglas County, Oregon. Gaddis Park is the site for the practices and games, and the league also offers optional tournament play.