Warwick North Little League President Steve Einhorn thought he was ready for opening day on Saturday until he got the phone call Friday evening. There was a hawk in the batting cage and Einhorn was expected to remedy the problem.

Sure enough, there was a hawk in the batting cage, but Einhorn couldn’t figure out how the bird became entrapped. The door was latched. There was no apparent means of entry and, obviously, the hawk hadn’t found its way out. That was left up to Einhorn, who, after several attempts, succeeded in grabbing the bird and then releasing it.

A hawk release is one of the more extraordinary things league volunteers do to run a league that involves about 400 kids in baseball. Einhorn notes that volunteers turned out in droves for the cleanup day and are always there to maintain grounds as well as run the concession stand.

As the tradition started, when it was West Side Little League, Warwick North players, family, friends plus elected officials turned out Saturday morning for a parade from Warwick Avenue to the field or the “pit,” as it is referred to, off Post Road. Four years ago, along with the decline in school enrollment across the city, West Side and Warwick National merged. It has made for a strong league.

In remarks made prior to throwing out first pitches with both a softball and a baseball, Mayor Scott Avedisian thanked the extensive volunteer effort throughout the years of Little League in Warwick. He said that it was fitting he would stand on a field he once played on nearly 40 years ago during one of the last few events he will attend as mayor of the city.

“Thank you to all the parents, coaches, all the people who man the snack bar and the shack and everyone who, for all these years, have given the kids of Warwick incredible sports programming,” he said. “There's no way a city could ever do this without all of the volunteer support, and from the bottom of my heart I thank you for all the kindness that you have given me over the last 18 years, and going back to when I was a player here. I look forward to being here again next year, just in a different role.”

(With reports from Ethan Hartley)