For some families, Little League baseball is a summer activity, for others it is a pastime, but for the Macdonald family, Little League baseball is a passion.

When Stoney Creek Optimist Little League opens its 2008 season May 10, it will mark the 50th season a member of the Macdonald family has been involved in Little League baseball. And it all started with a newspaper ad.

In 1959, Murray Macdonald saw an ad in a local newspaper looking for umpires for the new baseball league in Stoney Creek. Murray enquired about umpiring for the league. Eight years later, he stepped off the field and into the score booth. On many nights throughout the season, his sons would join him at the park to help with the official scoring.

Murray was president of Stoney Creek Optimist Little League, he also held the position of Little League District 1 secretary. Murray held these positions until his retirement in 1999.

He became league president in 1975 and was at the park almost every night from the beginning of April until mid-September.

His wife Grace worked in the snack bar, repaired uniforms, sewed crests on umpires' shirts and even sewed up umpire pants that tore during tournaments.

Long-time umpire John Doyle said, "Grace saved my pants many times over the years."

Murray and Grace taught their kids volunteering was an important part of growing up and all six kids followed in their footsteps.

"They taught us a lot about respect for everyone, to have manners and of course, to volunteer," said Bob, the youngest of five children.

Bob entered T-ball in 1967 and continued up the ladder until 1974. He also dabbled in umpiring, scoring and helped out on the grounds crew.

Over the past 30 years, Bob has been a staple at the park. He has coached his sons, Rob and Josh in house league and on the all-star teams, including last year's Major Little League's District 1 championship team that represented the district at the provincial championships. Bob was also president of SCOLL from 2001 to 2003, vice-president from 2004 to last year, equipment manager for three seasons and assistant district administrator since 2004. This season, Bob is a consultant to the board.

Norm, Murray and Grace's oldest son, played three years in Grasshopper, now called Minor Ball and two years in Little League, now known as Major Ball. Norm did not play Senior Little League because of a nagging neck injury.

"My neck was sore from watching all those balls hit off me going for home runs and I just couldn't hit worth a darn," says Norm.

Around 1970, Norm returned to do some umpiring and score keeping, along with his younger brother, Gord, for most of the '70s and into the early '80s. Norm was also involved in the provincial and national championships held at Optimist Little League Park in the late '80s and early '90s. Also during the early '90s, Norm was watching his daughter, Patricia, play in the T-ball division

Gord played four years in Grasshopper and Little League. He then coached for four years in Little League and was an assistant coach for the T-ball division's Fire-Chiefs, where his two sons, Justin and Michael, were playing. From 1986 until the early 1990s, Gord helped with scoring, statistics and announcing.

Justin and Michael, Gord's sons, played from the early 1980s until 1989. On their nights off, they would assist in scoring and announcing. Michael is still involved, this time as a parent. His son, Preston, is the fourth generation of Macdonalds involved in Little League, in the American division of T-ball.

Even though girls were not allowed to play Little League until the 1980s, Marg, the middle child and Murray and Grace's only girl, was also involved. She helped sew on patches and was a valuable asset during the 1990 Canadian Championships, doing anything that was needed.

Murray and Grace's third son, Gary, also played Little League baseball for a couple seasons. He returned in the early '90s as a coach for his daughters Brianne and Hillary's T-ball teams for five years.

Rob and Josh, Bob's sons, can be found at diamonds many nights over the summer. Rob played in Little League for 10 years and has become one of the top umpires. Josh is entering his third year as an umpire for SCOLL and finished his final year at the major level of Little League last season as a member of the district championship team.

On May 10, as part of opening day cemeremonies, SCOLL will honour Murray Macdonald for his lifetime of volunteer work in Stoney Creek. Murray died Nov. 27, 2007 at the age of 82. Throughout the season, players will wear a patch on their jersey in memory of Murray.