Men's softball league returnst o Othello's Lions Park this summer

OTHELLO — The return of a men’s softball league in Othello means the baseball fields at Lions Park are going to be seeing some extra traffic this summer.

City Parks and Recreation Director Amy Hurlbut presented an agreement to the City Council last week between the new men’s softball league and the city, which the council unanimously approved. The agreement includes provisions for the league of eight teams to host a total of 64 games in the coming months on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at Lions Park.

Hurlbut said the creation of the men’s league stemmed from conversations with community members who was interested for some time in bringing a league back to Othello. She said each of the eight teams will have 12 players, and the 64-game league schedule will include a double-elimination playoff series at the end of the season to determine a league champion.

Games started May 17, and each was slated for 7:45 p.m. first pitches in order to stay well clear of the parameters of field usage for the youth baseball and softball leagues in the city.

Hurlbut said part of the city’s agreement with the league includes the city public works department supplying two workers to tend to the fields between 6:45 and 7:45 p.m. on league nights.

The men’s league will pay slightly more than $1,200 to the city for field usage for its 64 games — $30 per field per day, plus the cost of a small amount of administrative work provided by the city. Hurlbut said the men’s league will be responsible for providing their own insurance and umpires and creating their league schedule.