Recent signs of winter's impending farewell are mistakable:
- Blooming streetside plum trees,
- Lunar new year celebrations, and ...
- Coming this Saturday, March 2, the annual Opening Day Parade for El Cerrito Youth Baseball.
Parade participants are to meet at El Cerrito High School at 9:30 a.m., with players in uniform (but not cleats). Coffee, hot chocolate, donuts and pastries will be on sale there for $1.
The parade begins at 10 a.m. and proceeds along Ashbury Avenue, along which families and other observers are encouraged to gather to cheer the young athletes on.
It ends at the Contra Costa Civic Theatre on Pomona Avenue next to Moeser Lane, where teams will be introduced and lunch with a hot dog, soda and chips can be had. Players, coaches and managers get free lunch, and others can buy one for $5.
The long-standing, volunteer-run league has 30 teams and 375 players aged 5-14 this year. The teams compete in different divisions according to their age group
