RAPID CITY - Harney Little League is turning 50.

In a city that loves its baseball, Harney Little League has been the starting ground for future stars of the diamond, and planted the seeds that led to countless summers at the ballpark.

"It is really about the people who have worked hard and kept things going the whole time," said current Harney president Scott Jacobson. "Baseball is popular in Rapid City and the volunteers make this possible."

Harney Little League will celebrate its 50th year today with boys baseball and girls softball games starting at 9 a.m. At noon, league awards and recognition of championship teams will take place, a raffle drawing will be held, a presentation entitled "Harney - 50 Years in Review" will be given and an alumni home run derby will take place.

Harney was one of the first Little Leagues to start in Rapid City - which now has four Little League organizations - and always brought together large numbers of kids on the south side.

"We always had good coaches and dedicated people who helped make it strong," past president Gene Carda said.

Harney began with two teams - majors and minors - and grew from there. The Harney League Sports Complex opened with a single field on East Fairmont Boulevard, and has grown to five which now hosts a variety of tee-ball, baseball and softball teams from the ages of 5 to 12.

Harney grew rapidly in the early years with 10 minor teams, 10 pee-wees, multiple pony, minor and major teams and the addition of girls softball teams.

"We were growing and we had to hurry (building more fields) or just play out there in the dirt," Carda said.

There were growing pains along the way that still remain fresh in the minds of those who were there to experience them.

"I remember the night the lights went out," said former scorekeeper Bob Wermers. "We had aluminum lights on the fields at that time and they started on fire one night."

The complex also survived a tornado that came through rolling the bleachers, but leaving the fields virtually untouched.

Because of the size of Harney Little League, lights were added in the late 1960s, prompting some to believe Rapid City's Little League was the first in the nation to have lights. However, it cannot be verified by anyone associated with the league.

"We would be out here playing pretty late because we had so many teams, so we knew we had to add lights to accommodate all of them," former president Buzz Donnenwirth said.

Today Little League teams in Rapid City play other teams in the city, but in the early years, Harney's teams traveled to Iowa, Nebraska and other spots in the Midwest to play baseball.

"We traveled a lot, especially with our major teams, and we played all the teams around here like Spearfish and Sturgis," Donnenwirth said.

Teams and leagues have changed over the years, but the goal of Harney Little League has not.

Harney looks to instill the youth of the community with the ideals of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty and courage.

In the end, it is all about kids having a chance to play baseball.

"It wasn't always easy but in the end I just enjoyed watching the boys play baseball and enjoy themselves," Carda said.

The final regular season games for Harney teams - which number 58 this year - is today before the league begins its playoff season.