Sean Sullivan
By: Sean Sullivan/TRT Sports Correspondent—
The cold and heartbreaking month of April has finally made way for a beautiful and warm May and an even more promising June. And what do most Bostonians traditionally do to welcome in the weather? Play ball.
Established in 1978, Beantown Softball League is the largest athletic organization in New England open to LGBT and allied community members. Boasting 27 teams and three divisions based on competition and skill level, the Beantown Softball League fosters sportsmanship and friendly competition, according to their website.
This year, The Rainbow Times has sponsored the Terriers with Paul Gagnon as the coach. The Terrier’s skipper is excited to be taking the helm. Gagnon has been involved with the league since 2005 and is also the leagues field director. The Beantown Softball League is something that Gagnon, along with many others have worked to embrace and involve more of the community each year. And it’s shown.
“We have seen the league grow from just 20 people to over 500 and we’re at that again [this year],” said Coach Gagnon. “With so many more people joining the league, the community is benefiting from gathering all sorts of people from all over the city. We have different fundraisers for different charities. So we always try to get more people to get involved with the community here in Boston.”
Although opposing teams are competitors, Gagnon said that team interaction with other teams and bringing in new players is critical to how the league survives. [pullquote]“We have seen the league grow from just 20 people to over 500 and we’re at that again [this year],” said Coach Gagnon.[/pullquote]
“Friends come in, even allies, sisters and brothers, they all come to play,” he said. “I like to see everyone’s families interacting with each other and expanding our family as well.”
The Terriers are not only out to join friends of their community. They have a solid squad and are looking for a strong season.
“They’re looking really great,” Gagnon said. “We have some good competition. The division this year is about the same size as last year. I think we have 9 teams and they’re looking very strong. Everyone is improving and, I’m not going to jinx it, but we’re going to play swell.”
The Rainbow Times will have continuous coverage of the Terriers and the rest of the Beantown Softball League this season. For updated standings and more information about the league, please visit, www.beantownsoftball.com. To check out The Terrier’s team photos, visit TRT’s Facebook Page.
