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Howard Palmetto Baseball and Softball Association has been a foundation of the South Florida baseball and softball community since 1962. As we gear up for our 60th year playing in the Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay area, a new generation of alumni stands ready to lead Howard Palmetto into the future.
Registration just opened for our upcoming season. Practices start in January and games run through the end of May. We play at the best baseball facilities in our area: Coral Reef, Evelyn Greer, and Suniland Parks. Visit www.howardpalmetto.com to learn more.
Divisions start at T-Ball and go to the high school level, covering ages 4 to 17. Since we are a recreational baseball league and not-for-profit organization, our costs are much lower; $195 for T-Ball and $250 for Baseball. We do not travel to other fields and everyone who signs up will be drafted to a team. Every player bats and everyone plays the majority of innings in each game. All players receive a full uniform (jersey, baseball hat, baseball pants, socks, and belt). Howard Palmetto is the largest recreational baseball league in South Florida because of the dedication of those who came before us and the talented volunteer parents who serve as coaches and leaders today.
In June 2021, I was honored to be elected to serve as President of Howard Palmetto. For the past five years as T-Ball Commissioner, I’ve watched nearly a thousand Pre-K and Kindergarten age kids play baseball in a relaxed and family-friendly environment. Howard Palmetto’s T-Ball division is now the largest recreational T-Ball division in South Florida with around 150 players each year.
Through a partnership with the Miami Marlins, T-Ball families have played games at loanDepot Park, met Marlins players in person and attended a Major League game for free. The Miami Marlins have done a wonderful job of supporting youth baseball over the past few years and we commend Derek Jeter, Miami Marlins CEO, and Sarah Garcia, Miami Marlins Director of Foundation and Community Initiatives.
The most enjoyable part of Howard Palmetto has been coaching my son’s teams for the last six years on the very same fields where my father coached me. I have fond memories of my dad Howard Shapiro spending hours leading practices and coaching games with a fiery passion. Sometimes this passion would lead to him getting thrown out of games. He atoned by becoming an umpire at Howard Palmetto after my brother and I went off to college.
As a kid, some of the best parts of playing ball at Howard Palmetto were the friendships made on and off the field. To this day, I keep in touch with past teammates and old coaches. Some of them serve on the Board of Directors of Howard Palmetto today. Bob Schroer, our Head Umpire, even coached my team in the early 90s. Many of my best memories growing up happened on these fields and it’s our duty to foster the same environment for the kids of today.
Stay tuned as we celebrate our milestone year with a 60th Reunion Party in the Spring of 2022. We will honor all the players, coaches and officials who were associated with the league over the years. Please help spread the word to any alumni that you may know. We hope that you consider enrolling your children or grandchildren in our upcoming season. Your kids are never too old to start!
