It happened. We beat the Dallas district champions twice last night, and we’re going to the state tournament in Waco as the champions of Section 2.
Congrats to Josh Brooks, Grayson Bunnell, Chris Cope, Dalton Douglas, Parker Gragg, Ryan Heslep, Austin MacGruder, Jacob Martinez, Joey Mendl, Colten Sanders, Hunter Self, Gilbert Torres, Reese Williams, and Kolby Yanez — as well as to the other coaches, Glenn Gazaille and Bobby Woodward.
On to Waco! I’m having to cancel a speaking gig for this Sunday (Sorry to those organizing Landon’s Heartbeat retreat!) and a vacation on Monday (to celebrate my 50th on Tuesday), but you don’t get to do this many times!
Awesome! What a great way to spend your summer and greet your 50th birthday.
Good luck in Waco - there’s a lot of bloggers in Waco. Maybe they’ll show up in a special cheering section.
If I didn’t completely scare you in Tulsa, we’d love to come out and support you guys while your in town! There are a bunch of us Waco Bloggers - just tell us when and where.
Great news Mike! As silly as it probably sounds, I was thinking about the games all day yesterday and even took the time to expalin district, sectionals, state, regional, and world series to my wife. She was impressed
Tell the boys to keep it up!
Were the games close? Did Chris pitch?
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE NEW SECTION 2 CHAMPIONS!!!
What better way to celebrate 1/2 century mark than to accompany your son and team mates to their next level game!!
btw - Mike - you share a birthdate with my most beloved superstar. My dad.
However, he would be celebrating his 97th. :>) May your celebration be a joyful one!
Wow - I’m getting excited for you guys - what an emotional high. Congrats!
One of my favored memories is riding my bike to Waco to see Nichole (my daughter) win the 100 meters in State. There are few things in this life that are greater than winning with your children. Have a great time whether you win or loose but winning is so much better.
How exciting! Can’t wait to hear how it goes!!
Hopefully you will be celebrating two events next week!
CONGRATS to the team!
DU
It was great talking with Diane last night while Chris was hitting. Believe it or not, she does a great play by play. She mixes a healthy balance of nurturing mother in with her commentary. Love it.
Congrats to you all. Please tell Chris that I wish I could be there.
That’s going to be so much fun! I talked with Chris on Sunday and he tried to explain the process to me but I was lost after the Waco games…so, you can just keep us informed since I am so dense. Congrats and good luck!
Congratulations! Enjoy these blessings!
God is good.
What is this “baseball” of which you speak?
Congratulations! Baseball is the greatest game there is.
Great job, Mike! You did “git-er-done.” Best wishes in Waco! We’ll think of you while we are playing the New Hampshire state championship this weekend as well. My 40th this month was altered too, but my family has given me a great gift…a baseball birthday. I hope Chris gives you the same gift.
Congrats, Mike. I wish Mississippi participated in Little League Baseball, nothing but Dizzy Dean around here except for coastal Mississippi.
There is a great lesson from this team. There is not one or two superstars carrying the rest of the team along, but instead every member of the team, including the coaches all the way through the 14th player, have at one time or another contributed to a play or victory to get them where they are today. That is what I have enjoyed in watching this team.
Congrats Mike on a great accomplishment. I know you were looking forward to your vacation, but as I told Diane last night, we went to a sister island last year and if you would like, yall can come over and look at our pictures and pick out the best ones and digitally replace our faces with yours. Diane and Sandy are about the same size, as are Chris and Hunter. I have no idea how we will be able to pull off putting your face on my body however. No one will believe it, or else they will all think you have completely let yourself go.
Congrats. If you are here on Sunday, swing by the Northside church.
Congratulations! You can go on vacation any time, but this is something your family will remember for a lifetime, especially Matt.
Matt - Isn’t Mississippi like the nation’s capital for youth baseball? I worked at the DeSoto Times-Today one summer (in Southaven, by Memphis) and Little League was the bigges thing we covered. It was huge.
Maybe you’re just differentiating Dizzy Dean from Little League. Either way, youth baseball is enormous in MS.
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Man, Mike — after watching that documentary the other day that follows a LL team on its path to the LL World Series (Small Ball), I’m beginning to think they might need to send a film crew down your way. You guys are smokin’!
It seems like you guys have a better perspective than the coaches/parents/players on the documentary, however. We’ll see if winning gets bumped up a few notches on the priority list if you guys get to Williamsport…
Congrats to the team and their coaches. All this talk about baseball has my mouth watering for a Fenway Frank. For me, baseball is all about the food at the park. The Cleveland Indians have “pierogies.” Don’t ask.
Congratulations to you, Chris, and the rest of the team on your victory. Best of luck to you guys in Waco.
I heard about all the excitement that happened Sunday at Highland. I wish I could have been there. See you in a few weeks
Of course, you’re going there to play your best. Winning isn’t everything? Right? This is a learning experience. Right?
I was Junior High Track coach and then Senior High Track coach for a few years in the 80’s and 90’s. The hi-lites were seeing two of my children run at state (Michigan) and get medals. Those were the the fun times.
Congrads to the team and in case I forget or miss it, Happy Birthday. Seems we celebrate our monumental years the same year. I turned 40 this year.
Hey Mike,
Could you tell me which one is Chris? I have thought about him and prayed for him, but I don’t even know what he looks like. It would be nice to put a face with a name. What a great accompishment for him, knowing where he was last year.
Congrats on the team’s success, oh, and for scoring more runs than the other team as well!
Brad - There are four boys standing in the middle row. He’s second from the left (right next to the bigger kid who has his belt around his neck).
Charlie - We may have to settle for photoshop. Will we still come away relaxed and tan?
“It don’t get any better than this.”
Congrats, Mike and Chris!
Mike-
You never answered my questions from the top…it’s almost like you are busy and don’t sit around all day waiting to answer petty box score questions that old, nostalgic little leaguers leave.
Awesome! Did you get home to Abilene in time to coach the game?
Yes I did, Keith. Thanks to the Zoe board for whisking me away so quickly so I could be back for the 6:00 game!
Chris - The games were NOT close (8-3, 9-2, I believe), and we only pitched two 14 year olds last night.
I have to throw a “git-er-done” in there for ya West Texans.
Chris is a cutie.
Congratulations!!!
lee
Congratulations!! What an exciting time!!! I’m really happy for you guys.
Very impressive, Mike. All the baseball nerds who were wondering that but didn’t ask should thank me.
Have a great time in Waco!
Man, that rocks!! How exciting-I hope you have an awesome time and have much success!! Just please don’t hold yourself up in Waco, and come back to Abilene!
Git’r done!! (I am a Nascar fan, so that has special meaning)
Many blessings!!
By the way, I think you are the only one smiling in that picture!
WOW!! You’ll have a great time!!! Last year we took BOTH our boys to the Dixie Youth Baseball World Series tournaments in two separate AL cities (Muscle Shoals-14 yr olds, Auburn-10 yr olds). It was a dream come true for them and us as a family for them both to go, and it made for a summer FULL of baseball (we returned home the day before school started). They both lost the first two games, and were out, but the experience?-PRICELESS!! It’s great to win, but it’s not ALL about winning, of course. Good luck!!! We start 11 yr old state tournament today at 4:00. It’s susposed to be a breezy 102 about that time-can’t wait!!!!