Little league teams get boost from Betsy

The original attraction of Betsy Bingo has been retired for five years, but the premise still makes event coordinator Doug Miller laugh.

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The Martinez-Evans Little League's annual fund-raising event kicks off at 9 a.m. Saturday at Kelley Field on Old Petersburg Road.

Before 2003, raffle-ticket stubs were placed on a plywood grid on a baseball field. Whichever ticket was lucky enough to receive "Betsy's" smelly offering won a prize.

"We had grown adults standing around a fence, cheering for this cow to (do its business) on their square," Miller said. "It was the funniest thing you've seen in your life."

As the event grew, so did the demand for more squares. The grid eventually outgrew the baseball field. Miller estimated it would have required 15 sheets of plywood to hold all the tickets.

"Bingo" was replaced with a simple raffle.

"Betsy got constipation on us after about 16 or 17 of them," Miller said.

The event is the only fund-raiser the baseball league holds each year. The proceeds go toward lights and other field maintenance; registration fees are used for uniforms and umpires.

The event has done well, Miller said, but suffered a setback last year when rain spoiled the festivities.

Saturday's event will include a carnival and auction.