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Little League memories rekindled with provincials in town |
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Written by JIM SWANSON, Citizen Sports Editor -- LINEUP CARD COLUMN
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Thursday, 17 July 2008 |
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DAWSON CREEKJOE MARTINLITTLE LEAGUE
The reason that issue bugged me so much? Easy. Because some of the best days of my life were the two main Little League tournaments I played in -- and they weren’t even provincials, like these lucky kids get to sink their teeth into this week at Joe Martin Field.
To be honest, I’m a bit envious of these players, because I never reached a baseball provincial tournament until I was a full-fledged teenager. What an experience at such a young age.
For those who missed it, the second Prince George team was temporarily banned from playing in the B.C. tournament, which starts this morning. Fortunately, and I say that with everyone in mind, the decision was reversed -- after going all the way to Williamsport. The final call was the right call.
Back in the day -- here he goes, a story about walking 10 miles to school every day, uphill both ways -- this district was a thriving baseball region, and it started my love for the sport today. Prince George had its three legendary Little League operations, P.G. East, Freeman Park and Nechako, and there were credible programs in Chetwynd, Dawson Creek and Mackenzie.
Me, I played for Quesnel. Wore the ugliest green uniform known to man, but put it on with immense pride.
We played and practiced at that cozy field at Lebourdais Park, the one you see as you drive through Quesnel. We thought we could beat anyone, even the beasts from the metropolis of P.G.
You may laugh, but the two district tournaments I played in still come up in conversation. This is where I name-drop a bit, mentioning people you likely know.
My first district tournament was 1980 at Gyro Park, a field where I have since umpired in tournaments and coached my son’s team. Memories flood back, and as recently as last month I stood on the mound at Gyro and argued about that very tournament with Dean Kazakoff. We were both beaming, but reliving the rivalries that stir emotions even for guys entering their 40s.
Kaz and I both still have a program from that tournament. I was Quesnel’s catcher, and I remember Richard Antonenko as the lefty catcher for the P.G. East club that knocked us out of the tournament thanks to an extra-inning home run. Richard’s dad Ken was the umpire, like he was so often in Little League games in this city for decades.
Also on P.G. East was Russ Pratt, whose hind quarters I have mercilessly kicked for years in the North Central Fantasy Baseball League. (If he offers a different story, don’t believe him.) There was Gibby Chasse, who has been in these pages for his powerlifting exploits.
On Freeman Park’s roster -- Kazakoff, coached by his dad John, who is in the P.G. Sports Hall of Fame. The other coach was Gerry Van Caeseele, who nowadays carries a white cane at Citizen Field. (Translation: umpire.) Another Freeman Park player was a guy named Ron Hutchinson, who plays on my same team now, the Westwood Pub Royals, in senior baseball.
Even funnier to me is that the Nechako coach was one Mr. Wally Foster, who I have spent countless hours with at Citizen and Rotary baseball fields the last few summers getting the mounds, batters boxes and baselines just right. I’ve learned so much from him -- just as the Nechako players undoubtedly did from him back in 1980.
Amazing how things come full circle.
Every player on every team thought we were playing in the big leagues. The parents were cheering -- loud! -- and the Gyro dugouts seemed so big. Every out each team recorded was another major celebration, and a three-up-three-down inning was the best feeling in the world.
(I also remember from that tournament that my dad gave me $10 and told me whatever I didn’t spend, he’d match it. So I conned my uncle into buying me burgers, pop and candy all the way through, and shocked my dad by handing him $7.50 at the end. I’m still not sure if he figured it out, but he did pay up.)
In the middle of that tournament, we went to practice at the Freeman Park field. A grass infield! We were impressed, and we all wanted to move to Prince George and wear the pinstriped white/red uniforms so we could play there all the time.
My second district tournament was in Mackenzie, and this time it was Freeman Park who knocked us out in a tight game. Logan Lampert was one of the Freeman rookies, and since moving back here I’ve been on Logan’s team for provincials, nationals and international tournaments at least a dozen times combined. Logan lives in Oilberta now, so the living link has been snapped.
The best memory is of the teammates. Don Doucette, Mike Holyk, Steven Burke, my younger brother... maybe time has smoothed the edges, but I remember us working together at all turns, dreaming of making it all the way to Williamsport. That was the best life lesson of all, to have coaches who showed they cared by treating the kids with respect, and pre-teens pulling in the same direction. I truly believe those lessons have endured to this day to where I work to be a good teammate, whether on the ball diamond or in the newsroom.
It’s the kind of lesson you don’t learn from golf, tennis, or other individual sports. Nothing wrong with those sports, just that the dynamics are different.
I’ll be rekindling my youth this week at Joe Martin, helping out as part of the Blue Crew. Someone’s bound to not like a call or three, but that’s fine. To me, this Little League provincials is far more than who wins or loses, who makes an error, or who hits a home run.
It’s about learning a life lesson through sport -- surviving adversity, or gracefully handling those diverse monsters called success and failure.
It really is what youth sports should be about. Good luck, kids. I’d tell you to have fun, but there’s no need -- that’s a guarantee. This will be a week you will never, ever forget.
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 07 September 2008 )
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