Last week I spoke on the subject of baseball, Little League baseball to be exact.
This week I’d like to mention baseball again, but a different form of it.
Victory Sports Baseball League, an offshoot of Challenger Baseball League, is made up of adults from the ages of 18 through 60 with physical and mental disabilities.
For the several years, the Victory Sports Baseball League has been playing at the West Pittston Little Field, my old stomping ground when I played Little League.
The league, run by Fred Desanto, from as far back as 1991 when Fred formed the league in Greater Pittston, only the second such league of its nature in the country. Williamsport had the very first league.
Fred, who is in his 31st year as the administrator is still very active in the league and is still very active on the field at a spry 72-years-old.
I covered some Victory Sports Baseball League action this past Thursday and there was Fred on the field, running the field like a general in the army. With glove in hand, he was playing the field at shortstop, and after all these years, he’s still having a ball… pardon the pun.
Every player gets to bat twice, hit and run the bases; that’s the steadfast rule and it never changes.
All the players grab a position and some have a favorite position. At times, you might even find family and friends of the players on the field helping out. More times than not, volunteers get on the field as well.
All the positions are filled, even outfielders. Most times the ball never gets out of the outfield and even if the player hits a ball in foul territory, they take first base.
There’s a lot of fun and laughter on the field and plenty of encouragement from the sideline.
It is so infectious; even I got into bantering with the players.
Every player get a uniform and it’s all privately funded.
If you think Victory Sports starts and ends with summer baseball, you’d be mistaken. Fred and the staff will make sure these athletes get together several times a year. I know in the past they also had basketball and bowling leagues.
The have parties several times a year at Mount Carmel Hall, Pittston, including a Christmas party, an Easter party and a Halloween party.
I’ve had the honor and privilege of covering many of their parties at the hall and it’s to the point where I even got to know some of them.
Naturally, when I bring my camera, many flock to me and then there are the regulars like Charlie McGroarty, who always asks if I could take a picture of him and his girlfriend, Amanda Yaglowski. I think I have more photos of those two together than I do of my parents.
Charlie plays first base and I think it’s only because it get a hug or a kiss from Amanda when she reaches base! Ain’t love grand?
Everyone has fun and I mean everyone, when it’s Thursday night league play.
It doesn’t matter if you are in a walker, wheelchair, crutches or what have you, and you get to play.
If a player can’t physically swing a bat, they get assistance, it’s that simple and when they get a hit, the joy is infectious.
If you are not doing anything on a Thursday evening, make your way over to watch these remarkable people having fun with friends. There’s plenty of places to sit and watch and root on the Giants, the Yankees, the Phillies, and There are no losers, no anger, no animosity, or jealousy. It’s pure fun mixed in with some pizza between games.
Speaking of parties, there are plenty of bazaars this time of the year and you don’t have to drive too far to find one in your community or a near by one.
Church bazaars seem to lead the way. I know Germania Hose Co. Annual Bazaar will be held on July 21 through the 24, The Sacred Heart Church, Dupont, Aug. 5 and 6; St. John the Evangelist, Pittston, Aug. 11 through 13, and of course, the grand daddy of them all, the Pittston Tomato Festival, Aug. 18 through 21.
Who doesn’t like pierogi, funnel cake, pizza, potato pancakes and live entertainment on a summer weekend?
Get out and support your local churches, fire departments, and other civic organizations having a summer party.
I hope everyone is having a great summer so far. It’s been a mix of sun with a little rain now and then, but I guess if you look at the area lawns, the rain was more of a then thing than a now thing. I see tons of brown grass.
I’m okay with that, less to mow for now.
I took a peek of the long-range forecast and it appears that a heat wave is heading our way. Starting with this coming Tuesday, we could have potentially 10-days of 90 degrees or near 90 in a row.
Honestly, I love the heat and the dead of the summer and even the dog days of summer, my problem is, I never want summer to leave.
Remind me in January how much I love summer.
Quote of the week
“At the point that our promises have become tactics to get what we want verses commitments that we intend to keep, the only thing that we are promising is the delivery of a broken promise.” – Craig D. Lounsbrough
Thought of the week
“Being dishonest isn’t an innocent mistake – it’s a deliberate act of deception.” – Frank Sonnenberg
Bumper stick
“Promises are only as strong as the person who gives them.” – Stephen Richards
