Baseball is a hit for families

By ADAM STEWART

Staff writer

Many parents and other supporters gathered at the Marion baseball fields for the final night of city recreation league games Friday.

Christian Pedersen was one of the parents in attendance, watching while his son, 12-year-old Mason, played.

Mason has been playing baseball since he was 6 years old. Mason estimated he spends three-fourths of his summer playing or practicing baseball.

“I just like playing,” he said.

Brothers and coaches have helped him learn the sport, but the biggest contributor has been his dad, Mason said.

“We would spend numerous hours out here as a family and practice,” Pedersen said. “The turning point for Mason was when me and (Mason’s older brother) Austen would come out to the ballfield.”

In many ways, baseball is a family sport, Pedersen said.

“It’s spending a lot of time together when they’re young, because they’ll get older soon,” he said.