Reflections Of My Fantasy Camp Experience And What It Has
Meant To Me
I hadn't played organized baseball since June, 1964 when in
April, 2013 my cousin, Amy Wilson, coaxed me into joining her for the
Cincinnati Reds' 2014 edition of Baseball Heaven. Even with almost an entire
year to prepare mind and body, I couldn't imagine my eight-day experience in
February, 2014 would become as enjoyable, as fulfilling, and as unforgettable
as it did.
Amy was one of only three women who had participated in 2012
and had expressed her desire to return so strongly that I decided to join her.
Little did I realize at the time that I wasn't just accompanying my younger
cousin whom I had coached 35 years earlier, but I would be joining a fantastic
fraternity and family, and making lasting friendships that have transcended
interests beyond just baseball.
From the very beginning I was greeted warmly and made to
feel at home by the Reds' organization. Stephanie Ben and Megan Hewett were
consistently informative, accomodating and caring. Later, at organized
workouts, my apprehensions were eased by some of the veteran campers, most
notably but not limited to Satch Coletta, Steve Ritchie, Bill Summe, and Rob
Matheny. By the time I reached camp, all my questions had been answered, most
of my nervousness had been dismissed, and all that remained to do was ingest
the atmosphere, get drafted, and play ball.
And play ball we did! The outstanding coaching strategies of
Jim Maloney, Jack Billingham, and Marc Cooper combined with the stellar
performances and clutch contributions of teammates Mike Aitken, Mark Adkins,
Will Adkins, Ron Beck, Mike Hensberry, Larry Kutzleb, Tony Maas, Mike
McFarland, Nick Palmisano, Mark Rowland, Amy Wilson, and Yours Truly proved to
be the perfect recipe for a 7-2 record and the 2014 championship.
Although my team won the championship by a score of 11-10 in
a most memorable final game, what I cherish most are the friendships that have
blossomed and grown with so many people whom I didn't even know before I
registered to play. Fellow rookies Mike McFarland, Donnie Glass, Will Scott and
I could not have been helped more and treated with more respect than we were by
the local veteran campers and everyone else associated with Reds Fantasy Camp.
Today I count all Fantasy Campers among my friends, I count several of them
among my good friends, and I count one of them among my best friends. Fantasy
Camp also gave me the opportunity to share yet another experience with my
cousin Amy that I will never forget!
I consider Friendships, Fraternity, Family, Fun, Excitement,
Teamwork, Comraderie, and Common Interests key words and phrases to describe my
connection with Cincinnati Reds Fantasy Camp. It truly was one of the best
total experiences of my life!
Jeff Reiss-2014
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