Marietta Bantam Baseball League president Jim Brown stands next to newly-named Jim Brown Field Friday. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

Running a youth baseball league can sometimes be a thankless job.

Jim Brown, president of Marietta Bantam Baseball, has been involved in the league for more than 40 years. He got some much deserved recognition Friday as one of the Bantam League diamonds was renamed “Jim Brown Field” in his honor.

“We’ve all put in a lot of hours down here,” said Lisa Weekley, the league treasurer and Brown’s daughter. “You don’t always hear the thank-yous as much as you hear the gripes. So, I think this is just a thank-you for keeping this group together and keeping it going over the years.”

Brown was greeted by a large group of friends and family who gathered to celebrate a lifelong dedication to youth baseball.

“I’m real surprised,” Brown said. “It feels good to have so many people whose lives you’ve affected in some way or another.”

Marietta Bantam Baseball League president Jim Brown, right, and his daughter, Lisa Weekley, are pictured with a cake during a ceremony Friday at Jim Brown Field. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

Though the Bantam League has seen a dip in numbers over the years, Brown and the league’s directors have stayed hard at work to maintain the quality of the league.

“When I started there were about 700 kids in the league,” Brown said. “Now it’s down to about 200 kids. It’s hard to take, but I’ve tried to keep it going. We’re starting to get along a little better, I think.”

A large green sign that says “Jim Brown Field” in white letters was attached to the fence behind home plate. Brown took pictures under the sign with past and present league directors as well as some of the ballplayers in attendance.

“It’s beautiful to see,” Brown said. “You do it for the kids. Very few times do we ever have trouble with parents. It’s been a good thing. My wife (Diane) died in 1987 of cancer, and this thing has kept me going.”

Among those in attendance were Marietta College baseball coach Brian Brewer and former Marietta High School baseball coaches Larry Burke and Jim Thrash.

“Jim and Larry were both high school coaches and they were both members of our board,” Brown said. “The nice thing about them — some people are just looking out for their kid — they always looked out for all the kids. That’s what I appreciate about them.”

And that’s what it boils down to for Brown — the kids. The kids are why he has put in so much time and effort into making the league the best it can be.

“I’m very proud,” Weekley said. “Very proud. He’s given so many years down here and I think so many kids have gotten to play baseball because he’s kept this organization going. I’m not sure if it would’ve continued without leadership like that. He needs to be proud of himself.”

People interested in getting involved with the league can visit www.mariettabantam.net.

“It takes a lot of good people to keep an organization like this going,” Weekley said. “So, if anybody wants to get involved, get involved.”

Brown added, “I just thank all the directors. I’ve met a lot of great people and a lot of great kids. You can probably count on one hand the bad ones. I can’t ever feel sorry for the time I’ve put in. It’s been a great thing.”