Field of Dreams

Bryce Alderton

A group of 10 players separated into two lines of five, each line

of five players facing the other line of players as the two lines

formed about 120 feet apart in the outfield grass at Mariners Park

Thursday evening.

Each player took off his hat, laid it on the grass next to him and

threw the ball at the hat of the player standing directly across the

field in an accuracy drill the 12-player So Cal Storm, a 12-and-under

traveling baseball team, has been practicing to prepare for the

team’s trip to Cooperstown, N.Y., to play in the Cooperstown Dreams

Park Tournament.

The 64-team youth baseball tournament brings together teams from

across the nation to play in the weeklong tournament that begins

shortly after opening ceremonies on Saturday with a four-day pool

play format before the single-elimination tournament begins Aug. 7.

After opening ceremonies, players from the 64 teams can compete in

any one of four skills competitions: a home run derby, the ‘Golden

Arm” contest where players stand 125 feet from home plate in the

outfield and attempt to throw the ball through the bulls eye at home

plate, around-the-horn, and the fastest around the bases.

“We usually give them a buck if they hit the hat,” quipped coach

Gene Maurer as he watched the players throwing baseballs in an

attempt to hit the hats that were lying on the grass.

Maurer is one of three coaches, along with Frank Feikema and Larry

Culbertson, who are assisting Manager Rick Campo.

The Storm has been practicing and playing together for a year now

and is sponsored by the Lake Elsinore Storm, a single-A affiliate of

the San Diego Padres, who gives the team their hats and uniforms.

Each team will receive uniforms specifically for the tournament

when they get to Cooperstown.

Storm practices are a bit longer and more grueling than Little

League practices according to one player.

“We do different drills and practice different things such as

leading off and pitching from the stretch,” said Ryan Redding, a

second baseman from Costa Mesa.

On Thursday, Storm players practiced their around-the-horn drill

five times before ground ball practice.

The around-the-horn drill involves all nine fielders and begins

with the pitcher, who throws to the catcher, who steps on the plate

as he’s getting ready to throw the ball to the third baseman to start

the sequence that winds around the infield from third base to first

base before the catcher throws to the shortstop, who throws to the

right fielder to begin the drill going around the outfield.

The drill ends when the left fielder throws the ball to the

catcher.

Maurer said the best time the team has turned in for the

around-the-horn drill is 24 seconds. On Thursday they turned in a

27-second performance.

Maurer’s son Brandon is co-captain along with Brian Culbertson.

Maurer looks forward to, “The whole thing -- the part of being in

Cooperstown and playing there.”

A former Little League coach and marketing consultant, Lou

Presutti, followed on Bruce Issadore’s vision. The Hingham, Mass.,

resident had an idea for a tournament in Cooperstown, where Abner

Doubleday was given credit in legend only as the creator of baseball.

Presutti created the Dreams Park, where teams play on diamonds

with 70-foot basepaths and 50-foot mounds.

Players and their families will be able to visit the National

Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum while in Cooperstown.

Team members include Ricky Campo, Maurer, Riley Hart, Redding,

Eddie Tomasek, Ian Abernathy, Gilbert Beas, Garrett Feikema,

Culbertson, Taylor Austin, Mike Robinson and Art Carahure.