the Commercial Softball League.

The first pitch of the league's 19th season was thrown out on Saturday night, a harbinger of what president Dean Williams calls "one of the best kept secrets in Bermuda.'' Forty teams -- up four from last season -- have signed up and for just about every night for the next five months, six of them will take to the field at Bernard Park.

At about 25 players a team, the league has now broken the 1,000-player plateau, a remarkable number considering that's more than the total number of people playing soccer on the Island.

What's even more remarkable is the league makes do with just one field: Bernard Park and its inviting short outfield porches. Another field, and who knows how many more teams and players the league could attract.

Patrick Donnelly, the CSL's public relations officer, notes the league had to turn away four other teams for lack of room. "It's first come, first serve,'' he says.

In the United States or Canada, this would be considered normal. But Bermuda? Says Williams, "We're softball crazy down here.'' Much of the game's appeal comes from the fact it is a social outing thinly wrapped as competition.

For instance, league rules stipulate that each team must have at least three women in the line-up. And several companies field more than one team, making the game a great morale booster for employees.

Plus, says Williams, "It's a sport anybody can play ... We have players from all walks of life.'' It's also fun and over in 90 minutes, leaving plenty of time for family or more socialising.

But with just ten people on the field at the same time, there would appear to be too many players left on the bench. Wrong, says Williams, pointing to other commitments of a typical player.

"Last year, my team never fielded the same ten people in any game,'' he said.

But despite the slow pitches and sportsmanship, Williams cautions people shouldn't lose sight of the competitive aspect.

A dozen years ago, players barely knew which end of the bat to hold. But visits from touring US and Canadian teams "really got us going.'' One team in particular, Brockett Batts of Atlanta, came three straight years during the early 1980s and beat the Bermudians every year -- except the last.

"That was the turning point right there,'' said Williams.

"Now everyone can hit the ball and the fielding is as good as any team, anywhere.'' Big hitters, though, come across a ground rule that isn't found in many other places. Because Bernard Park is only 245 feet from home plate to centre field, league rules limit teams to just three home runs per game; anything beyond that counts as one base, making for an added bit of strategy for coaches.

Umpiring presents another dilemma. There are six internationally-sanctioned arbiters on the Island, meaning each team must designate one of its own -- with aid of periodic umpiring clinics -- to handle the second-base decision-making.