It's a fun-filling kids Challenge
Scott Pitoniak
Democrat and
Chronicle
(June 21, 2002) — Dave Lanning has been the designated pitcher of the
Challenger Baseball World Series since its inception a decade ago, and
he has yet to retire anyone.
Kids are batting 1.000 against him. His earned-run average is higher than
Everest.
When the former Fairport baseball and football coach takes the Frontier
Field mound again Saturday morning for the 10th anniversary of this
fun-filled, inspiring series that's about so much more than baseball, he
hopes to keep his record intact. |
Coach Dave Lanning (1977) |
He hopes to be batted around again.
By kids in wheelchairs. By kids on crutches. By kids without arms or legs.
By kids with autism and Down syndrome and cerebral palsy and other
physical and mental challenges. By kids with smiles as big as an outfield.
"I don't know of anything I've done in all the years I've been involved in
sports that's been more rewarding," says Lanning, who coached Fairport to
a state football championship and several sectional baseball titles. "You
see the happiness on the faces of these kids and you are reminded of
what's important."
Youth sports take a beating, and in too many cases the criticism is
justified. Parents get carried away. Coaches put winning above all else.
Kids suffer.
But Challenger Baseball is sport at its joyous best. A division of Little
League, it was formed more than a decade ago to provide physically and
mentally challenged youths ages 6 to 18 with an opportunity to experience
the thrill of putting on a uniform and hitting a ball and journeying
around the bases.
Each player is matched up with a 'buddy' or a 'guardian angel,' an
able-bodied helper. Outs aren't recorded. Half-innings last as long as it
takes every member of a team to bat. Everybody plays. Nobody loses. Hugs
often out-number hits.
The program came to Fairport roughly 11 years ago, thanks to Brendan
O'Riordan. A passionate Yankee fan, O'Riordan was looking for sporting
opportunities for his son, Brendan, who has cerebral palsy.
Lanning came aboard out of loyalty to the younger O'Riordan, who was
working as a manager and first-base coach for the Fairport varsity
baseball team.
The long-time coach started pitching, and hasn't stopped.
Challenger eventually expanded from Fairport to Greece. Webster and the
Finger Lakes region also started programs in recent years.
All four teams will participate in the World Series at Frontier at 9:20
this morning.
The games are open to the public. Admission is free. Go if you get a
chance because you'll see kids approach the games with a passion and joy
often missing from the guys in the big league uniforms.
You won't hear any whining or any threats of work stoppages.
"The tradition of playing these games first at Silver (Stadium) and now at
Frontier is great," Lanning says. "It's a big thrill for a lot of these
kids to know they are using the same field as the professional players.
"But many of the kids are just happy to be playing, period. We could hold
it in a parking lot and they'd be excited."
One of the nice components of the program is the buddy system. When
Lanning was coaching, he would bring his entire varsity team to help out.
Soon, students from Lanning's American history classes also began showing
up.
"I think my kids wound up getting more from their participation than they
ever imagined," Lanning says. "I know I have."
And that's why he'll be on the mound again this morning.
He hopes to keep his sky-high earned run average intact.
He hopes to be batted around again.
By kids with smiles as big as an outfield.
|
