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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Padres baseball team participates in a parade on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Shades Mountain Park celebrates its 65th anniversary on opening day in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
A member of the Yankees T-ball team gets preoccupied with the dirt in the infield on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Braves coach Drew Raley helps one of his T-ball players as he bats on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Members of the Orioles team make their up a stairay on opening day at Shades Mountain Park n Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Rays baseball team waits for the start of a parade on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The 11-year-old Hoover Heat takes on a team from Trussville at Shades Mountain Park at the park's opening day in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
A member of the Braves T-ball team gets ready to bat on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Yankees and the Braves T-ball teams congratulate each other after playing on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Shades Mountain Park celebrates its 65th anniversary on opening day in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Brewers take on the Braves on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Members of the Braves baseball team wait their turn for bat in the dugout on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Brewers take on the Braves on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Red Sox baseball team waits for the start of a parade on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Fans watch the Braves and the Brewers on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Shades Mountain Park celebrates its 65th anniversary on opening day in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Members of the Red Sox baseball team eat a snack after participating in a parade on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Brewers take on the Braves on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Brewers take on the Braves on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Brewers take on the Braves on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Shades Mountain Park celebrates its 65th anniversary on opening day in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Yankees and the Braves T-ball teams play on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Yankees and the Braves T-ball teams play on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Yankees and the Braves T-ball teams play on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
A member of the Braves T-ball team bats on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
A member of the Braves T-ball team waits his burn to bat in the dugout on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Yankees T-ball team huddles up after their game against the Braves on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Drew Raley, coach of the Braves T-ball team at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, huddles up with his team after their game against the Yankees on opening day on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Claire Raley hands out snacks to members of the Braves T-ball team after their game on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Trent Peoples plays shortstop for the 11-year-old Hoover Heat team on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Fulton Howard pitches for the 11-year-old Hoover Heat team on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Hoover Belles Juliana Rickman, left, and Katie Marie Everett lead a parade of teams on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The White Sox baseball team participates in a parade on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Mets baseball team participates in a parade on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Baseball players at Shades Mountain Park eat snacks after participating in a parade on opening day at the park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Braves Levi Brown, left, and Gabe Childress, eat a snackj after participating in a parade on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Sam Hill of the 5 and 6-year-old A's runs to first base after hitting the ball on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Rockies and the A's in the 5 and 6-year-old league at Shades Mountain Park play on opening day in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Jack Schexnailder of the 5 and 6-year-old A's runs to first base after hitting the ball on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Rockies and the A's in the 5 and 6-year-old league at Shades Mountain Park play on opening day in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Rockies and the A's in the 5 and 6-year-old league at Shades Mountain Park play on opening day in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Mason Lilly of the 5 and 6-year-old Rockies team runs to first base after hitting the ball on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Members of the Braves baseball team wait their turn for bat in the dugout on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Members of the Braves baseball team wait their turn for bat in the dugout on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Brewers take on the Braves on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Brewers take on the Braves on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Brewers take on the Braves on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
A Hoover Bucs baseball logo adorns one of the buildings at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Kids perch in a tree at Shades Mountain Park on opening day in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Brewers take on the Braves on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Members of the Cubs baseball team eat a snack after participating in a parade on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Shades Mountain Park celebrates its 65th anniversary on opening day in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Brewers take on the Braves on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Members of the Brewers baseball team wait their turn for bat in the dugout on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Brewers take on the Braves on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Brewers take on the Braves on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Rob Lilly pitches for the 5 and 6-year-old A's on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
A crowd watches the Rockies and the A's in the 5 and 6-year-old league at Shades Mountain Park play on opening day in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Rockies and the A's in the 5 and 6-year-old league at Shades Mountain Park play on opening day in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Josiah Whitehead races to first base after catching a ball in a game against the 5 and 6-year-old A's on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Mills Finley plays second base for the 5 and 6-year-old Rockies in a game against the A's on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Fulton Howard pitches for the 11-year-old Hoover Heat team on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The 11-year-old Hoover Heat takes on a team from Trussville at Shades Mountain Park at the park's opening day in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The 11-year-old Hoover Heat takes on a team from Trussville at Shades Mountain Park at the park's opening day in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The 11-year-old Hoover Heat takes on a team from Trussville at Shades Mountain Park at the park's opening day in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Yankees and the Braves T-ball teams play on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Braves coach Drew Raley helps one of his T-ball players as he bats on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
A member of the Braves T-ball team takes a rest in the outfield on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Yankees and the Braves T-ball teams play on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Yankees and the Braves T-ball teams play on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
The Yankees and the Braves T-ball teams play on opening day at Shades Mountain Park in Hoover, Alabama, on Saturday, March 11, 2023.
Shades Mountain Park celebrated its 65th anniversary today during its opening day for the spring 2023 baseball season.
Young boys toting bats (some as big as them), balls and gloves filled the park, some decked out in face paint. Not only did they get to play their first games of the season; there also were parades of teams at multiple points throughout the day and special guests invited to throw first pitches, including Hoover Mayor Frank Brocato.
Parents, grandparents and siblings filled the stands and filled their phones and cameras with pictures and videos of the young men on the baseball diamonds, and the weather, while chilly for some in the morning, was mostly pleasant throughout the day.
Joe Bain, president of the Shades Mountain Park board of directors this year, said there are at least 650 players in the park’s recreational league this spring, plus about 150 who play in the travel ball league (ages 11 and up).
The park’s board was eager to show off freshly painted buildings and some new signs that were added this year, Bain said. Also, Shades Mountain Park now has affiliated with the United States Specialty Sports Association, which means its post-season team will compete in state, regional and World Series tournaments associated with that organization.
