Columnist returns from Williamsport, Penn., with many Little
League memories
Several months ago I stood alone in the middle of Howard J. Lamade Stadium reminiscing about my bygone days.
Last week I stood there among thousands of spectators, players and volunteers as I watched the Little League World Series.
In all due respect to Mickey Mouse and his gang, this, for two weeks every summer, IS the most magical place on earth.
It’s been hailed as the most electrifying and biggest youth sports event in the world.
Let me tell you, that claim is justified. Stepping onto the hallowed grounds where others have tread is like crossing over into another medium. I felt like the character Ray in the movie “Field of Dreams.”
It’s not just about wins and losses that makes this sleepy town become magical, however. It’s about kids, people, cultures crossing, feel-good stories and smiles around every corner.
It’s about:
– Dugout, the Little League mascot, dancing with teams to Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock ‘n Roll” and the players looking like they belonged on “Dancing With the Stars.”
– Umpires forming a line dance on the field and two-stepping to “Cotton Eyed Joe.”
– Every imaginable pin being traded in the pin tent; so many, that popular pins were displayed in the local newspaper on a daily basis.
– Venezuelan players shaking hands with the catcher and umpire before they stepped into the batters box to hit.
– Mexico’s players touching home plate before they took their defensive positions in the field.
– Powerade providing a home run derby area where everyone had a chance to be a home run king and run the bases.
– Kids and fans from the Midwest Region painting themselves in their team colors so they could get on ESPN for a fleeting moment.
– South Dakota making its first-ever trip to the World Series.
– A South Dakota player playing the national anthem on his violin. I later learned this kid is entering high school next year, three years ahead of schedule.
– Stands filling up one hour before game time for every game, which meant every game was viewed by approximately 10,000 spectators.
– Cardboard becoming a premium because every kid used it to slide down the hills beyond the left field fence. Adults even slid down because you just can’t resist the temptation to do so.
– Moms leading cheers like they were auditioning for a talent show.
– Kettle Corn being freshly made right before your eyes and buying a large bag so you could get through the entire day.
– Free admission, free parking, fast moving lines and the most inexpensive food this side of the Mississippi.
– Players being treated like professionals, from new uniforms and equipment to being chauffeured to the dorms after every game with adoring fans trailing behind them.
– Volunteers and staff dedicated to making it the best experience for players and fans alike.
– Tony the Tiger playing with kids around every turn and posing for what seemed like a thousand pictures a day.
– Newly inducted Hall of Famer Goose Gossage throwing out the first pitch before the series began.
– A Mexican contingent dancing outside the stadium after their first game and throngs of fans joining in.
– The Venezuelan team gathering to pray on the mound after every game they played.
– Italian and Hawaiian players exchanging autographs and engaging in small talk about anything and everything.
– Everyone in an exuberant mood, from ticket takers to security to the people who clean the stadiums after every game.
– No hotel room available within a 50-mile radius.
– A little youngster selling me the Little League Extra daily newspaper, and then exclaiming he now had sold 100 for the day and his bonus kicked in. He then went on to tell me the inside gossip for the day and every story under the sun. I loved it. I searched him out from that day forward figuring he might share his bonus with me.
n An ESPN announcer playing basketball with a player from recent years who now stands 6-foot-10.
– Stadium usher Jay Freeman, telling the make-up crew from ESPN for years how to make former Los Angeles Dodger pitcher Orel Hershiser look better.
– Philadelphia Phillies star Ryan Howard throwing out the first pitch before one of the games and then going down to the Powerade booth to sign autographs and talk with the kids in attendance.
– Cultures coming together for a great event with children as the focal point, and no concern for politics.
– An ESPN camera taking a shot to the lens, shattering it into pieces, not once, but twice.
Yeah, it’s about a place where players have a twinkle in their eye pursuing a dream, where adults can become a kid for a fleeting moment.
As you walk away and step back into the reality medium, you just have to turn around and say, ‘Wow.’
Rich Taylor has been coaching youth sports for over 25 years and formerly scouted and coached in professional baseball. His column, A Sideline View, appears once a week. Reach him at [email protected]
