Sad day for Blue Lick history; needed for baseball’s future

With the new logo on the hats, it was clear that Blue Lick Optimist as many of us knew it was dead.

On the other hand, it was a great day for the city of Shepherdsville. For the first time in probably a decade, baseball and softball was again being played on local fields.

And probably Challis Ford was smiling down on the festivities on a recent rainy Saturday at the Shepherdsville First Street Park.

He would be smiling because kids were playing baseball. Opening day is still named after the architect of the Blue Lick program over 45 years ago.

Yet, for someone who spent a fair amount of time at the Mud Lane facility, it will never be the same.

By the time my son started in the program as a T-ball player some 24 years ago, the facility on the Bullitt/Jefferson County border was not the most modern. But it was home. For the next 12 years, my family would spend a lot of time at the park.

When I grew up, I didn’t participate in the Black Mudd program. The kids in the neighborhood had plenty of opportunity to play various sports in our backyards.

I was able to help a little here and there. Getting fields ready for play was a common evening event. When tournament time arrived and the rains fell, those were fun times.

Painting fences while my son was playing didn’t have to be done. But it was a little way to give back.

At the time we first got involved, the beginning of the fade in participation in recreational baseball started. It was the start of AAU/travel ball.

Ford was firm – make that a very firm – believer that rec ball came first. In fact, one of our teams lost a player because he opted to miss a regular season game due to travel ball commitments.

Over the years, knowing that the rule just wouldn’t work, many of the Blue Lick players started to play travel ball. Thanks to the dedication of folks like Greg Shewmaker and Kenny Montgomery, the Louisville Storm was formed for kids in T.J.’s age.

Not only did we get to spend time at Blue Lick during the week, we got to take our show on the road to other destinations. The first few years were tough. But the kids got bigger and better.

But they always remained committed to recreational play and All-Stars with their peers.

As I transitioned out as my son began his commitment to North Bullitt, the numbers were really dropping. 

Fast forward to today and the push to move a little further south really had to happen. For years, many youngsters in the central part of the county had no options in terms of baseball and softball – except to travel.

When the Bullitt County Parks and Recreation gave its programs over to the Bullitt County YMCA, things really took a tumble. The emphasis changed and the leagues were often for the younger kids as the numbers dropped.

Then, there was nothing – unless you went to Blue Lick, Mount Washington, Brooks or into Jefferson County.

High schools have traditionally been helped by the feeder rec programs. I’m convinced that North Bullitt and Bullitt East have benefitted from the youth programs. Bullitt Central has suffered.

A few years ago, Blue Lick officials went to Shepherdsville officials to talk about possible plans to work together. The city had two fields in its park and, probably not really understood by anyone, there were a couple of small fields behind Roby Elementary, which are actually under the ownership of the Bullitt County Board of Education.

Like many things that happened in city government, there was a meeting, enthusiasm levels raised… and then nothing happened.

Last year, a guy named Jose Cubero was running for mayor. The North Hardin grad was a baseball player and even at the age of 60-plus, he’s an active player.

He wanted to do things for the community. He started the conversations. On opening Saturday, he got to throw out the first pitch.

It wasn’t a fastball but it was a strike. More than that, it was a home run for the youth sports community.

All of the play this year will be held in Shepherdsville. While there will be teams practicing at Blue Lick, score will be kept at the two locations in Shepherdsville.

Is it ideal this year? No. Parents and coaches could be shuffling from one field to another. Concessions will be at the bare minimum. Rest rooms will be of the portable variety.

But it is baseball. It may be the only thing that saves a historic program like Blue Lick and creates a new opportunity for those in Shepherdsville.

And, as numbers continue to decrease in many  youth sports, there is hope that in a few years, the city might be looking to develop a new sports complex.

The kids don’t really care where they play, they just want to play. The T-ballers can pick flowers in the outfield whether it is in Hillview or in Shepherdsville.

But for the thousands and thousands who have grown up through the Blue Lick program, there should be a bit of sadness this spring season.

The familiar BL logo on the hats and shirts have disappeared. Thanks to Challis’ best third-base coach, Tommy Parker, there is a guarantee that the spirit of Blue Lick will continue for years to come.

With the prayer completed, the National Anthem played over the speakers and the first pitch thrown out, there was only one more thing to do – Play Ball.

I’m sure Challis Ford will be looking down on the little boys and little girls running around the bases and he will have a smile on his face.

The only question is where in the park would be the right spot for Ford and his friends to gather at the end of the night to talk about the day at the ball fields.