RAY PRIDE


The beginning of the 2011 Midway season was not a very promising one. I had just received news that I was drafted by the Rays. I text all my friends asking them what team they’re on. As the responses come pouring in, my mood changes. All of my talented friends have been drafted by the Redsox but two. My long time friend Alex, a five tool player that can pitch too and the coaches son Troy. The three of us were asked by coach Tom to carry the team. From that point on I knew it would be a tough task at hand. To be honest I myself had little confidence going into that season. We were projected to go 3-13 while the Redsox were projected to finish atop the rankings at the number 1 seed going to the playoffs. Though the odds were against us, we had pride.


Being the Head captain or The Big C as they called me, I called a mandatory captains meeting in the club house. We went over some possible line-ups and pitching rotations that could help us. It was there we came up with those two words that would drive us through that whole season. RAY PRIDE.


Its game day, hundreds of little league fans coming to watch us play. No one, not even the Rays fans and even some of the Rays players thought we could win. I bring every player in front of the dug out and I gather them around, and I gave them a speech that would stick with them throughout every game they played as a Ray. I told them, “ We may not have been blessed with the best players, or the best talent, but we have something that we can honestly say no one else in this world has. We have this team, each and every man is a brother to each and every person on this team. We are a family and we have pride, we have Ray Pride. Lets go out and show those Redsox that this is our division.” I start the chant, “RAY PRIDE! RAY PRIDE! RAY PRIDE!” As we go on the crowd joins in and from that moment on we knew we were more then anyone expected us to be.


Lets just say that the Ray Pride took over this team and once we took the lead against our arch rival Redsox, we never looked back. The top eight teams in the state make the playoffs. By the end of the season we were 12-4 and the number 4 seed going into the playoffs. The Redsox finished with 11 wins and 5 losses
( two of which were to the Rays) and were the fifth seed going into the playoffs. There were three rounds in the playoffs. The wild card round, the division championship round and The State Championship. In The wild card round we played the Newark American Pirates with their big slugger Joe. Needless to say it wasn’t a very close game. Alex pitched a great game and the final score was 15-2 Rays.


Now were waiting anxiously to see if the Redsox win their wild card game to play us in the Division championship game played at my very own Dickinson high school. As we received news that the Redsox have one we begin to prepare immediately for this team that we handled very well all season, beating them by a combined score of 22-6. Though the recent success we had against this hated rival, we did not underestimate them. The game begins with hundreds of fans waiting to see this highly anticipated game. They were not disappointed. Top of the seventh with the score tied at 6 I come to the plate with runners on first and third and 1 out. First pitch of the at-bat was a fastball inside corner, my favorite pitch to hit. I swing and it’s a long drive deep left-center field and it’s off the wall! Both runs score and we lead by two. The next inning, Troy who has pitched the whole game shuts them down. We Win! The whole team chants, “RAY PRIDE!” We did it. This team had made it to a place where no one, not even ourselves though we could go.


After a long 5 days of waiting and anticipation. The day is here. The state championship. Today it’s my turn to pitch. As I am warming up in the bullpen I get this warm feeling in my hear that were about to do something special.


Going into the bottom of the sixth the game is tied and come up once again for a chance to take the lead. Runners on second and third two outs, this could be our last chance to score with the bottom of our line-up due up in the bottom of the seventh. I get a base hit up the middle and it scores two! We lead 5-3! Going into the last inning I am still pitching. All I have to do is get three outs and we are Champs!! But I blew it. Runners on second and third with two outs the batter hits a two run double to tie the game. The score is 5-5 and we only need to score one run for the walk-off win and be champions. With a runner on third and two outs all we need is a hit to win. Sean steps up to the plate, sweat dripping down his face and his legs shaking with fear. The 0-2 pitch is drove back up the middle for a base hit! Rays Win! Rays Win! The team storms the field to greet Sean at first base. We mob him with silly string and shook soda cans. We did it.


The three talented captains and a team full of unsung heroes has done the impossible. We proved that the power of two words and the bond of and family is enough to get you to the promise land. I will never play on a team like that again and I am honored to forever be a part of the brotherhood. Ray Pride!