By RAY WILDE

Sports correspondent

LEWISTOWN — The Mifflin County Babe Ruth League will start its 72nd season on Monday, April 27.

Opening day will feature four games. Reedsville will visit McVeytown, the defending league champion; Belltown goes to Milroy; Strodes Mills will host Lewistown at Rec Park and Beaver Springs will be on the road at Burnham. Belleville has the day off and will open its season on April 30 by hosting Milroy.

Each team will play 19 or 20 games. The first two cycles are scheduled from April 27 to June 15. The third cycle, which is seeded, will be played from June 19-29.

This will mark the 72nd year that McVeytown and Belleville have fielded a team. Milroy has put a team on the field every year since 1958 (69 years).

For the first time in years, all nine managers are returning to their respective dugouts.

The senior member is Belleville’s Bill Corbin, who is entering his 44th year as the Belleville skipper. Corbin has a 659-406 record in Big Valley and has an overall record (All-Stars) of 783-457.

During his stay in Belleville, Corbin has won six league titles. He is tied for second with Burnham’s Dave Wolfkill. Lewistown’s Bernie Howard holds the league record with eight league championships.

McVeytown’s Denny Yetter is entering his sixth year. He has a 59-42 record in McVeytown and has a 74-52 record overall.

Josh Snook will be coaching Lewistown for the fifth season in a row (20-55). Snook’s overall record is 29-63.

Nick Wolfkiel of Burnham will be in his fourth season. He has a 42-17 record at Burnham and is 45-21 overall.

Three managers are starting their third year in the league. Belltown’s Keith Baker (16-23); Milroy’s Steve Weaver (24-16) and Reedsville’s Travis Parkes (15-23). Parkes coached All-Stars for one year and his overall record is 22-26.

Two managers are starting their second years, Beaver Springs’ Bo Trawitz (12-8) and Strodes Mills’ Bob Reeves (1-18).

There is one returning regular-season award winner, Burnham’s Liam Shaffer, who won the batting title in 2025 as a 15-year-old.

Belleville has won the most league titles, 15.5 (1959-2025, no records from 1955-1958).

Burnham is second with 13 and Lewistown is third with nine.