The Boys of Summer

It's HOT and HUMID this week in Maine. My heart goes out to all the little leaguers who are clothed in unbreathable polyester playing in the Senior League World Series here in Bangor. It's an odd place to hold a world playoffs - there are teams from across America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. I went to the field with my photog friend Shane Sunday morning to do some research for a little story I'm writing.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Bangor West Little League team winning the state title. To mark the occasion, a hearty breakfast and dedication ceremony took place at the Shawn T. Mansfield stadium in Bangor. For those of you who aren't familiar with this lovely baseball diamond, it was built in 1990 with funds from Stephen King -- the best-selling horror writer who lives in the area and whose son, Owen, played on the 1989 team.

In doing my research I found a nice article in the Boston Herald about the team and how they ended up in a Stephen King short story. It's a small-town American story about a rag-tag team of boys who did something uplifting for their community. Sort of like those cheesy sports movies like "The Mighty Ducks" but this one is true. Check it out for yourself!

Photo by the Bangor Daily News