I saw more baseball talent from this past weekend than any Stammen Classic in recent memory…and at every age level. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
The Stammen youth baseball ‘Classic’, as always, was fun, and the early comments from readers from near and not-so-near point to the difference in those who plant some seeds and expect a harvest…and others willing to take whatever happens to happen by chance.
What I saw over this past weekend, as I’m want to write about throughout the rest of the sports year?
Well, as you might guess…it did my heart some good to hang out in Versailles for Craig Stammen’s celebration of youth baseball, principally because I like baseball. And I like young baseball players committed to learning how to play, compete, and grow from the character and attributes of the game.
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And I’m not alone, apparently, because I quickly received an email response from central Ohio, complimenting not only Craig Stammen and the village of Versailles for its support of youth baseball…but to point out the difference in those who could do the same, and don’t.
He wrote….
“I’ve enjoyed your site for some time, I follow Ohio State baseball on it, and l wish to commend the Versailles community for their commitment to youth baseball in the manner you wrote about. I also appreciate Craig Stammen, because for a major league manager to take a day off and appear as the living, breathing example of what you can become through baseball is directly opposite of so many Ohio State professionals who have not done so over the years. I don’t remember Frank Howard, or Nick Swisher, using their time or their name for the sake of either promoting baseball or encouraging youth baseball players. And for that matter, not many of the basketball or football players have, either. If they have, I’ve never gotten wind of it in the manner in which you write about the Stammen event. I read it all and found it exciting to think about, the true character of people in the community donating so much of themselves to provide an opportunity for kids through baseball. And none more than Craig Stammen. Not by just lending his name, but by being there, hitting fly balls. Well done, Versailles.” – Frank Paschall
Frank, I’ve shared your thoughts for years, given Craig’s commitment to the community, area baseball, and his unique ideology in this day that nothing is better for young boys than to grow up together, play baseball together, share those experiences, and support each other throughout life. And what you cannot know, of course, is the number of other men in the community who are just as sharing and committed as Craig is, but without being a major leaguer.
Dave Knapp Ford, in Greenville, proudly sponsors community baseball at the Craig Stammen Classic.
I might also note that Versailles has a big reputation for poultry, and they set a record last week by selling 41,000 chicken dinners. So what they do in Versailles, they do to the limit.
From a baseball standpoint, I must also add that, in my opinion, this year’s weekend showed the most young baseball talent I can remember, going back a decade. And by far…the most athleticism! Literally, as I wrote in one of my columns, I saw each of the five tools of baseball – speed, arm, fielding, hitting, and hitting with power. And I saw glimpses of it, proportionate to size, at every age level.
Notably, I saw a lot of kids who could pitch, which tells me that Dad (or someone else) has been in the wings working with those kids on a constant basis.
In particular, I saw nine-year-olds…a couple of them…from Russia who threw the ball with the mechanics of a junior or senior in high school.
I saw ten-year-old talent from Maria Stein, which is notable because over the past years baseball has not been a sport for which you remember Marion Local. But not anymore, and not in the future. The Flyers were a regional semi-finalist this year. And just as good…the number of Marion people who showed up to support those kids, as all the communities did.
I saw eleven and twelve-year-old kids from Versailles, Russia, Marion Local, and Loramie who could throw the fastball…and who could hit the fastball thrown from 45 feet, the distance from mound to home plate for that age group.
Defensively, the play of the weekend was turned in by a twelve-year-old shortstop from Marion who made a backhand catch in the hole, then leaped, whirled, and threw the runner out at first base. And the distance between bases is shorter than 90 feet in 12U baseball. He (shortstop) made it look easy.
Coldwater won the 14-year-old competition, and I can see why. That program is again well-stocked with kids eager to play, compete, and win, as it’s been for years.
Versailles, and a couple of righthanded pitchers I saw, was impressive.
Likewise for St. Henry, seeking to refill its high school ranks after a state tournament appearance this year.
Minster, under the watchful eye of four-time state champion Mike Wiss, will be well-stocked for the future.
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Admitting, I did not get to see everyone, but I saw enough to know that there’s more young talent in these area baseball programs than ever before – bigger, faster, stronger, and equally committed to compete in baseball.
“Baseball is the most fun sport,” said a twelve-year-old to me, admitting that he plays football and basketball, too.
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And does Craig Stammen, or his name, even matter?
“We know who he is,” he added. “He’s in the ‘bigs’, and he played for Versailles.”
He said it with emphasis on the part about playing for Versailles.
So if Craig Stammen can do it, he’s not so old, or removed, from Little League baseball to believe that someone I saw this weekend can do it, too.
And that’s why he does it, Frank.
And to your point, it’s a wonder that more don’t.
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