By Rebecca Panico | The Jersey Journal

Jersey City native Elliott "Skip" Adams was inducted into the Babe Ruth League Middle Atlantic Region Hall of Fame in a ceremony at Metro Field in Jersey City.

Adams, who began volunteering in the Babe Ruth League program in 1981 as a manager in the Greenville Police Athletic League's Babe Ruth league and is still active in the organization, was honored for his leadership both on and off the field.

Adams the first black manager in the local league, league officials said.

"There's no words," said Adams in a phone interview. "It's a great honor. ... It's pretty much history because I came through the program with the kids."

According to many who spoke at the induction ceremony on May 24, Adams' biggest contributions were his passion for teaching the game and helping the players who went through the league to become upstanding adults.

Freeholder Bill O'Dea, who worked to make improvements to Metro Field complex with Adams, said Adams always steered children in the right direction.

"There are probably hundreds and hundreds of young people in this city who could have, instead of going to college, gone to the Hudson County Correctional Center," O'Dea said at the event. "But he stepped in at an important time in their lives. ... Skip is always kind enough to care and strong enough to lead."

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