PASADENA ROTARY HONORS PEARLAND WORLD SERIES MEMBERS
Posted
on Oct 10, 2014
The Pasadena Rotary was pleased to have two outstanding players from the Pearland Little League World Series Team and their Manager as guests of the Club. They were Manager Don Smith and Pearland Little Leaguer Presley Smith ( his son) and Little Leaguer Mathew Adams ( and his proud grandparents Wayne and Pat Adams).
Manager Don Smith talked about the events leading up to the World Series that were marked by hard work and dedication. At the beginning of the season Don told his team that “Someone is going to win the Little League World Series and it might as well be us”; however from that time on the World Series was not mentioned. Instead the emphasis was on dedication and hard work with a philosophy of “Pull the Train” pick each other up and build the momentum. The team followed the credo of the Coach and won 16 straight playoff games to receive an invitation to Williamsport, Pa. “The atmosphere at Williamsport” said Smith “Was like David vs Goliath”, as they played before a stadium of 42,000 with only a handful of supporters from Texas. Never the less this proud Pearland team beat Rhode Island and Washington, but lost to Pennsylvania and Illinois.
The team, which rigidly followed the league rules about age and residency, were a bit smaller in stature than some of the teams, which evoked the comment from one sports commentator that “You are small, but you play big.” It was a fitting compliment to a fighting group of youngsters who have made all of Texas proud.
Article by Bill Welch