Vestavia Hills youth baseball to be represented at Cooperstown Dreams Park
Three teams from Vestavia Hills have been selected to play in the Cooperstown Dreams Park and the American Youth Baseball Hall of Fame Invitational Tournament during the week of June 8 in the home of baseball, Cooperstown, NY. In addition to competing against teams around the country, members of the Vestavia Tribe, Magic City Rebels and Vestavia Black Sox will be enshrined in the prestigious American Youth Baseball Hall of Fame.
The Cooperstown Dreams Experience, since 1996, offers more than baseball. This cultural and life enriching experience for team and family members will create memories to last a lifetime. Players and coaches will, like the heroes of the game before them, visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame, share hometown stories, trade pins and compete with players from around the United States for a weekly national title.
Teams will spend seven days and six nights in the Baseball Village clubhouses and eat in the team dining pavilion. Teams will arrive on Saturday and depart the following Friday. Each team is guaranteed at least seven games (weather permitting) and will earn a seed to play in the single-elimination championship tournament. All teams will be represented in the “King of Swat,” “Road Runner,” “Golden Arm,” and “Around the Horn” skills competitions.
Throughout the summer of 2019, Cooperstown Dreams Park plans for 100 teams weekly participating in thirteen weeks of national tournaments hosted between June 1 and August 30. Players and coaches will come in pursuit of their dreams in the legendary home of baseball. The Cooperstown Dreams Park mission and goal is to promote a high caliber of play and allow young players to experience the purity of baseball as it was meant to be.
The Vestavia Tribe is coached by Wes Parker and John Richter. Team members include Nick Brown, Daniel Covington, Leyton Downey, Colton Elkins, Cooper Harwell, Frank Jordan, Cole Parker, Colby Poe, Logan Richter, Bo Stockard, Brooks Towry and Finn Stricklin.
The Magic City Rebels are coached by Eric Mann and Keith Johnson. Team members include Jones Cleary, Gresham Davis, Spence Hanna, Landry Harris, Hicks Johnson, Will Langston, John David Livingston, Carson Mann, Grayson Mizerany and Jacob Watson.
The Vestavia Black Sox are coached by Allen Dye and Steven Sanders. Team members include Yates Bannon, Harris Crumpton, Will Daniel, Dylan Heald, Hampton King, Smith King, Bruce Littleton, Robert Stone, Griffin Waldrop and Chase Webb.
Submitted by Amy Parker.
Editor's note: This article was updated at 12:11 p.m. on May 19 to add an athlete to the Vestavia Tribe team.