As the sun set at the Abington Little League complex this week, dozens of boys gathered on the field.
The players counted down as league president Greg Kane pressed a button on his cell phone. For the first time after a more than decade-long legal fight, the boys would play under the lights.
“I think it is like crazy because it feels a lot like the MLB,” said 12-year-old Brady Nalevanko, referring to Major League Baseball. “Now we're able just to play later games and have more fun.”
Brady and his teammates weren’t born when the league started the process to light the field in 2009.
In the more than decade that followed, the league fought opposition brought by nearby homeowners who claimed the lights would disturb the neighborhood and hurt their property value. Lawyers offered to help the league for free.
The Commonwealth Court last year upheld a ruling by Lackawanna County Judge James Gibbons that reversed a denial from the Glenburn Township Zoning Board.
Finally, there could be light.
“When you're 10, 12 years old… what you want to do is say you played under the lights on a Friday, Saturday night when it's 80 degrees out,” said Ryan Mitvalsky, who served as league president from 2009 to 2019.
Mitvalsky began talking about the lights when his son was in his second year of tee ball. That same son is now a sophomore in college.
Beyond the excitement of a game under the lights, the addition helps with scheduling. The league’s 500 players use five fields at the complex. The newly illuminated field is used by the major division, or kids ages 9 to 12. Greg Kane, the league president, said the complex is at capacity.
“We have games every single night during the week. We couldn't make up any games either. So when we get rained out, we have to just forfeit those games or not make them up,” Kane said. “Now with the lights, we're going to be able to play doubleheaders during the week as well. So we won't have to cancel games on kids anymore.”
Scranton attorney Ryan Campbell represented the property owners. He says that while they have no comment regarding the lights, his clients wish the players, coaches and families a successful season.
After the ceremonial lighting, the more than 80 boys in the division each had a chance to bat and play the field during a special blue and white game.
Younger siblings played on the nearby playground and visited the concession stand and ice cream truck as the sun set. Parents purchased shirts with the saying, “Let there be light.”
Twelve-year-old Conner Serge awaited his turn at bat.
“I think it's gonna be really sick because you get to play later in the night and like you won’t end the games early,” he said.
