A History of our League... Established 1952
We are one of the oldest little league organizations in District 10. Beginning in 1952 as the Taylor Street League or "GE League" as it was commonly known then, our league was created to accomodate the overflow of players from the Foster Park league. The league first began play at Rockhill Park on the west side of the city.
In 1958, our league moved to the Anthony Wayne Grade School near Time Corners, changing the name to "Time Corners Little League." In 1959, we were one of the first to increase major league participation to six teams. In the early 1970's, our league moved to the Aldersgate United Methodist Church, up on the hill behind the Time Corners Shopping Center.
Early team sponsors were Peter Ekrich and Sons, American Marietta, Glacier Ridge Lions Club, Elmhurst Lumber Co., C.L. Schust Co., Guy S. Meams, Kekiongas Club, and American Hoist and Derrick (Joslyn Steel). The American Marietta team won the seventeen-team 1961 Baseball City Tournament, defeating the Elks of Fraternal in the Championship game.
It was in 1998 that our league moved to two newly built baseball fields at Summit Middle School on Homestead Road. The league received substantial support from a corporate sponsor, Don Ayres, and our league name was then changed to Don Ayres Time Corners Little League (DATCLL).
Besides numerous City and District Invitational Championships, our Senior League team won the Senior League City Tournament two of the first five years: team sponsor was County Line Cheese in 1976 and 1978.
In 1991 and 1995, DATCLL All Stars were Major League State Champions, advancing to regional play in Indianapolis. In 1991, the Senior League baseball team won both State and Regional honors, advancing to the World Series in Kissimmee, Florida. In 1998, the Senior Softball All Stars were State and Regional Champions, advancing to the World Series in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
In 2004, the Key III Candies Major League team won the 50th annual District Invitational Tournament, and the Senior League Softball All Stars won the District and State Tournaments. Also in 2004, our league was District 10 All Star Champions in the 9/10 Softball, Junior League Softball and Senior League Softball divisions. Our Big League Softball team was runner-up in the State tournament.
In recent years, the fields at Summit have increased from two to six different diamonds. The DATCLL Girls Fastpitch Softball league plays on fields across the street at Homestead High School. The league also plays at Busse Field and K&K Field located nearby the site of our early beginnings at Aldersgate United Methodist Church.
In 2006, with the financial assistance and support of the Aboite Township Trustee, Barb Krisher, the Aboite Township Parks Board, and the Jorgensen YMCA, major improvements have been made to all Baseball Fields at Summit. New scoreboards are located on all fields, new dugouts have been built and improvements have been made to all playing fields and batting cages. Two fields, Summit 2 and 13, that were mostly used for practice, were also completed and are now in use by the league and community.
Along with the major improvements to the Summit Fields, four new baseball fields in Indian Trails Park behind the YMCA were also built for league and community play.