Some Light Reading

Here are some great articles about local baseball that I loved reading:

• Here is one about "Friends of Baseball," a group dedicated to helping youth baseball organizations through grants and assistance. The founder, Keenan Longcor, states that it was the bond with his son and the great memories on the ballfields that prompted him to set up this nonprofit organization. Their focus is "dedicated to the enrichment of youth, parents, and their relationships, through baseball."

• This article from the Stanford Alumni magazine is actually about a local Little League coach. Notice the pictures and the team name: yep, that's Alpenrose East field! And nope, we didn't go to Stanford :)

• A local leather-worker fashioned a great mitt for a Little Leaguer born with only two fingers on each hand, as reported by KGW.

• And finally, can you ever get tired of stories about Oregon State University and its College World Series Champions? Here is a mention from a sports guy at the Christian Science Monitor: "I was chewing the fat with the mailman" about the Oregon State baseball team and surely, they must be kids from California. So, he does a little research... Just goes to show you what a GREAT story this is.

• And a link to the story posted on the Snack Shack at Alpenrose about Mike Stutes (Lake Oswego LL) and Darwin Barney (Murrayhill LL), who faced each other in District 4 Little League competition BEFORE they became College World Series champs at OSU!

Enjoy! And safe travels to those beginning tournament play, ending tournaments, heading for vacation, and heading to Home Depot to begin house projects put off since March...you are ALL in my thoughts today!