Cooperstown Tournament

Just like any good vacation, my experience in Cooperstown followed the same pattern. You wait and wait, and wait, for it to get here…and then it’s over.

Yes, I had the privilege of taking a group of players up to Cooperstown to compete in the 12-u tournament the week of July 11-18. What I expected, and what happened, was pretty close to the same.  I expected to win a couple of games, and have a great time. We won two games, and speaking for myself, it was a wonderful experience. Based on what I observed from the players, they, too, had a great time.

The week started out at the McDonalds about a half a mile away from the park. That’s where some of us met on Friday afternoon around 4:00. You can’t get into the park until 5:00, so we needed some place to hang out for a while. All of a sudden here comes the “Bud Roys” from West Virginia, and the pin-trading began. Pretty soon other teams were showing up and kids were running all over the parking lot exchanging pins. At about 4:50 we got in our cars and went down to the park, finally got into the parking area where we had to sit about 45 minutes. While we were sitting the kids were all over the place trading pins…

We then were able to drive into the park where the dorms were, where the kids would call home for a week. Once we got the suitcases, water, equipment, etc out of the cars and put it in the dorms, the pin-trading took off in earnest. Kids were all over the place. There were 104 teams which made about 1300 kids running around trying to collect 104 different pins…… one from each team. If the kids just had that enthusiasm, persistence, passion, and organization out on the field!!!!

Saturday was the day of meetings, eating with the parents (for the last time during the week) and the huge parade into the stadium in the evening. It was great. Everyone took a bunch of pictures.

The actual games started on Sunday and the Potter’s Pirates looked a bit over matched. We lost both games, 14-0 and 12-0.  The next day we were looking for an improvement in our performance but it didn’t happen. Two more losses, 13-0 and 11-0.

Yes, we had been shut out in four straight games. We did not score a run in four games!!! Perhaps that is a Cooperstown record for futility, I really don’t know…. On Tuesday, we finally got into the win column the first game but lost the second game. That gave us a record of 1-5 going into the single elimination tournament. The tournament started on Wednesday morning and we were ranked 88^thout of 104 teams. We played against Parkville, Md who was ranked 87^th. We beat them 21-9 but lost our next game and were eliminated from the tournament.  We ended up 2-6 for the week with a lot of great memories.

The team consisted of some 12, 11, and 10 year old players. The players were:

• Kasey Gast
• Tyler Rendina
• Brian Baldwin
• Alex Kopin
• Ryan Kopin
• Michael J. Abbott
• Noah Abbott
• Jabbar Hussie
• Jacob Collins
• Colin Lawall
• Sammy Roeder
• Kyle lasher
• Jordan Carter

The coaches were:

• Jay Baldwin
• Charlie Roeder
• Jon Kopin

Each team is required to bring an umpire with them that umpires all week for FREE.  Our umpire was Kevin Ciralsky, who lives in Ellicott City.

Below is an e-mail he sent me after he read my book, “Whatever Happened to Baseball?”  Once I read his response to my book, he was the guy that I was going to ask to go to Cooperstown.

I know he had a great time.

Good Day Jeff :

First of all I just wanted to say thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read the manuscript.  I enjoyed it and see some of the things you mention, even as an umpire. I would think anyone that played when we were growing up or anyone that loves the game would enjoy this book.

Also, I think as an umpire I can take some of the lessons in the book and apply them the game and life as well.

To be honest, normally I probably would’ve taken the time to read but for some reason I took this opportunity.  I guess part of the reason is that my son loved to play baseball and my dad was my first baseball coach.

I hope you don’t mind if I share a few stories related to them.

I mention son because as I said he played baseball.  Unfortunately, he passed away at the age of 15, (blood clot) just prior to the start of baseball season at Hammond were he made the team.  He was a pitcher and a third baseman; at least in the travel ball he played.  I think he eventually would have been moved to first base.

Kyle was a big kid and wasn’t the fleet of foot runner.  He always joked that he liked baseball because he “could rest every 90 feet”.  He was a good hitter when thrown a fastball, but couldn’t wait on a curve or change up.  This is where he needed to continue to work.

The teammate section reminded me of a few of mine, also, one of Kyle’s.  Kyle met a Paul the first year Savage started their travel team.  Paul was the catcher and Kyle was one of the pitchers.  Paul was nicknamed “Country” because of the music he liked and his cowboy hat.  Eventually they developed the standard pitcher\catcher relationship and Paul nicknamed Kyle “Cheese”.  Paul still puts a baseball on Kyle’s cemetery marker every year on his birthday and has his initials engraved inside home plate on his class ring.

My dad was my first coach; in fact, he coached all of my brothers and I in our first year.  For some reason he started me at third base and from then on I couldn’t get away, told me I was one of the few who could make the throw.

He had a pickup for his business and I remember the whole team riding in the back to the local Dairy Queen for ice cream if we won.  Banana split if you hit a home run.

I could go on about both.

In regards to the book; The first chapter brought back many memories as did the other chapters.  I remember stacking the bats with the handles on top of handles and the barrels to the side and ended up making swirling circular stack.  The tossing of the bat to pick teams and having to say no bottle caps to cover the top of the handle, home run derby and riding bikes with my friends to watch Federation BB at the local park.

I don’t know all what you were looking for but if you need any further comments, please let me know.

Thanks again.

Kevin Ciralsky

Baseball umpire and fan

How could you not be moved by his words? Kevin is a great guy and it was an honor to have him attend the event, and represent our team. We were also sponsored by League of Dreams   (www.Leagueofdreams.org) which is a Baltimore based organization that works with disadvantaged individuals. Frank Kolarek, founded, of the organization, is a great guy and all of us were excited about being involved with him and his group. We look forward to working with his people a lot in the future.

It was a great time for all. I can’t wait to go back next summer…

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