Cumberland Kiwanis
Minutes of May 24, 2010
Mark Fuller
Speakers: Mark Fuller, Cumberland High School
Baseball Coach
Topic: Cumberland Baseball
Mr. Fuller presented a
wide-ranging talk on baseball in Cumberland and highlights of his 34 years in
the program, 31 as head coach. He
noted that opportunities to participate range from Little League in 3rd
and 4th grade through school sports in high school. Currently there are some 190 kids in
the program. He invited the
Kiwanians to attend the two remaining high school games and presented details
on this yearŐs Hall of Fame Weekend.
As part of his coverage of the history of baseball in Cumberland, he
listed many of the outstanding players from the community over the years, along
with a list of famous baseball players who played in Cumberland over the years.
A current issue with the game
is the use of aluminum bats. Some
states have outlawed aluminum because of safety concerns. Fuller remains somewhat neutral on the
issue, noting also that the cost difference is not a large factor, since wooden
bats are no longer inexpensive, either.
Fuller concluded with a
discussion of on-going needs of the program, such as game expenses for umpires
and balls amounting to $120 per game.
Maintenance of the field by the city has been good, but every 4-5 years
some more major attention is needed.
Finally, Fuller shared an
extensive handout, which included a number of historic pictures and press
articles relating to the history of Cumberland baseball.