Los Angeles Baseball League

Where do I begin?
I suppose I should begin at the ceremonial first pitch on opening day.
Most of you never knew Tony but obliged the ceremonial first pitch and season dedication to the Iceman anyways.
Over the course of the season, I think that most of you started to understand the importance of playing a season for someone other than ourselves and understand that we were playing for a fallen Ballfield brother... I have always identified this team as a completely selfless bunch of ball players.
From this opening pitch, we all had a common goal in mind and we started to identify that knew that that goal was achievable.
It wasn't easy and we did have a few team issues but in the end, I truly do believe that each of us was able to put the team above ourselves. Believe me gentlemen, this is a wonderful team trait that not all teams are able to experience... that said, you have all made my job as manager pretty damn easy... and I thank you all for that!
I will take a minimal amount of credit for simply assembling this group of idiots... but in the end it was YOU players who carried us to this championship!
I could call out every single player on this roster for contributing in some way over the course of season and getting us to this championship... but let's just call it a complete and total team effort, no doubt!
I remember a lunch at a deli in Eagle rock where Gene & I sat down (I of course came prepared with a printed out list of potential players) where we talked about how to rebuild our beloved A's from scratch.
After two extremely rough years (7-50...Yes, I said FIFTY!) we came into the post Covid era with a group of idiots, where we really had no idea exactly what we had.
After a few games, We started to see something special in the works.
All we had to do was stay the course, do what we were capable of doing and as my man Tony said before a 2021 championship game many years ago? "No fucking excuses, just get the job done"!
That's exactly what we did today.. and exactly why I am sitting here looking at a champagne soaked championship trophy!
I have heard it said that "Brotherhood evolves from championships"? Life dictates that this team cannot sustain forever.
Shit happens and we move on in our lives, no doubt.
But if I could ask one thing of each of you, it would be this?
Feel like brothers today, Just this one day!
Because I honestly feel like every single goddamn one of us would go to the mat for the other today? Today!
I will close by telling you that I am nothing less than proud and honored to have managed this team and each and every one of you through a long and tumultuous season... to this special championship!
Regardless of what the future may hold, I consider each and ever one of you to be my Ballfield brother... and nothing will ever change that.
#Iceman31

Date: August 22, 2021     Time: 12:30pm      Venue: Glendale Sports Complex