Photos: NELL Opening Day Parade and Ceremony

NEWTOWN SQUARE– (NELL) held its annual Opening Day parade and ceremony Saturday, April 21st. This year, the NELL is celebrating it's 60th anniversary (founded 1952) which was the theme for the day's festivities. Some of the highlights included:

• Over 450 little leaguers, along with coaches and parents, marched in the parade and participated in the opening day ceremony.

• Comcast Sportsnet personality (and NELL dad) was the Master of Ceremonies.

• Members of the Tigers baseball teams, many of whom are NELL alumni, were on hand to support the little league players, and greeted them with high-fives as they entered the field.

• The 2011 NELL 12-year old tournament team was introduced by manager Brad Dever.

• Former Phillies reliever Scott Eyre, who went to two World Series with the Phils, was the guest speaker. In addition to his inspirational remarks, Eyre passed around his World Series ring for all the boys and girls to see (and try on). Remarkably, he got it back in the end.

• Inducted into the NELL Hall of Honor were: former NELL president and County Press publisher Rich Crowe, and long-time NELL coach and board member Kevin Tate.  

• Also honored were Harry Nuss and Earl Robinson, who played at NELL 60 years ago in the league's very first season. They told stories of the early days of NELL, and marveled at what it has become since the days when they played.

• After the ceremony, former professional baseball player and Cardinal O'Hara grad gave a pitching clinic for the older players in the Flanigan Center.

For more photos of NELL's opening day parade and ceremony, visit the photo gallery here.