The Cheraw Recreation and Leisure Services Department will celebrate the beginning of their 2009 Spring Sports Programs with the annual Opening Day Ceremonies on Saturday, April 18th, at 10:30 a.m. at Arrowhead Park.

The opening program will include an invocation, the introduction of the 35 youth baseball and softball teams, an introduction of the Town Council and the Recreation Commission members, remarks by Mayor Scott Hunter, the presentation of the Jimmy Duffy Volunteer Award, the National Anthem, and the season’s First Pitch.

A major change this year will be that every team will get the opportunity to play a complete game sometime throughout the day.

The T-Ball teams, ages 5 & 6, will play on Malloy Field and their schedule will include Burger King facing Bill’s BBQ at 11:30 a.m., Northeastern Technical College playing Harris, McLeod, and Ruffner at 12:30 p.m., while Ingram Insurance will close out the action by squaring off with Edward Jones Investments at 1:30 p.m.

The T-Shirt league, ages 7 & 8, will play their games on Volunteer Field and Dean’s Automotive will lead things off against J.B. Lofton Company at 11:30 a.m. Cheraw Healthcare will then face BGF Industries at 1:00 p.m. and the Cheravian Club will tackle J.B. Lofton Company at 2:30 p.m.

The Coach-Pitch softball league, ages 7-9, will have two games on the Carolina Canners Field and they will be Doodlebugs against Pee Dee Outfitters at 11:30 a.m. and Treadaway Painting versus Jackson National Life at 12:45 p.m.

The Dixie Ponytails, ages 10-12, will be up next on the Carolina Canners Field and their two matchups are Carolina Canners against Kiwanis Club at 2:00 p.m. and Rotary Club will take on Teal’s Family Fish House at 3:30 p.m.

The Dixie Youth Majors league, ages 11 &12, will start things off on the B.C. Moore’s Field and their first game will pit World Finance against Wallace at 11:30 a.m., while Jackson National Life will meet Carolina Canners at 1:00 p.m.

The final age group slated for action on Saturday is the Dixie Minor league, ages 9 & 10, and they will have three games on the B.C. Moore’s Field. The first tilt will be Founders Federal Credit Union against Bennettsville at 2:30 p.m., while Rotary Club will meet P.& H. Pharmacy at 4:00 p.m. The last game of the busy day will feature the Cheravian Club against Ina U.S.A. Corporation and that contest is slated to start at 5:30 p.m.

Another added feature this year will be the inflatable games and rides from T.C. Amusements that will be on the youth football field. These rides will be available all day long, at a very modest charge.

There are over 500 children involved in the youth baseball and softball leagues

this season and they will continue to play through the middle of June.

Everyone is invited to come out on Saturday and enjoy a full day of baseball and softball with the youth of Cheraw, as every child will get an opportunity to play a game on the fields at Arrowhead Park.