Staten Island Little League hero Frank Smith has never dreamed about playing at Yankee Stadium. But he has dreamed about taking the field at Williamsport’s Howard J. Lamade Stadium.
Smith, who hit the game-winning, walk-off home run to beat Livingston, N.J., Monday to advance them to Williamsport, attended the Little League World Series two years ago as a fan.
“The most fun I’ve had here so far is getting a chance to play on that field,” said Smith following their second day of practice. “It’s a field I’ve always wanted to play on. I never thought I’d get chance to play in the Little League World Series.”
The 12-kid Staten Island squad, nicknamed “The Cardiac Kids,” has drawn notice from the New York City Council, which announced a $5,000 grant to help pay the team’s Williamsport expenses. The politicians also sent an oversized good-luck card to Williamsport – with Queens councilman, Peter Vallone writing, “First the Island, then the WORLD.”
Staten Island faces unbeaten powerhouse Columbus, Ga. tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Lamade to kick off their round-robin pool. Four teams are in their group including Phoenix and Lemont, Ill. Staten Island will face Illinois Sunday and Phoenix Tuesday. The top two teams from the four-team pool advance to the Final 8.
The pride of Staten Island marched in last night’s parade through the Williamsport streets and will be part of today’s opening ceremonies.
Smith has been besieged with attention in this quaint Pennsylvania town since his nationally televised 220-foot blast over the left-center wall in Bristol, Conn. Staten Island was the last team to qualify for the World Series, so many of the teams were watching the games on ESPN from Williamsport.
“I’m kind of nervous, talking to reporters for the first time, I’m just trying to stay calm,” Smith said. “I’d never been interviewed before.”
Smith’s father, Frank, said his son is a “level-headed kid”, mature enough to handle the adulation.
“He’s got his eyes on the prize,” his father said. “He’s got more baseball to play and he knows it. He’s a fisherman and he knows baseball is like fishing. Some days you kill them, some days you don’t.”
The Smiths fish regularly off Sheepshead Bay and Great Kills Harbor. “But I like baseball better,” Smith said.
At yesterday’s meeting for coaches and administrators, the Staten Islanders were lauded for its sportsmanship, inviting the Livingston team to join in on the victory lap. Even better, the Staten Islanders, seeing their despondent foes sitting in the bleachers, requested they take the lap first so they could be saluted by the fans.
Staten Island has won six playoff games in its final at-bat. “It’s like crazy,” said Smith, who claims to be a line-drive hitter, not a home-run hitter. “I feel bad for the other team. I know I’d feel pretty down if I got beat that way.”
