MUNCY, Penn.-Tom Rachael is 57 years old, but near the end of summer the CEO of PALCO FCU forgets he has a few more gray hairs and that his eyesight maybe isn't what it used to be.
What makes him overlook his age is his own "field of dreams"--not quite the same thing as in the Kevin Costner baseball movie, but close enough, says Rachael-and it's about a 20-minute drive from the credit union.
Rachael is referring to Howard J. Lamade Stadium in Williamsport, Penn., the site of the Little League World Series (LLWS), which just recently concluded. For the last 14 years Rachael has been a host for one of the series teams and it makes him feel like a kid. "For two weeks out of the year I am 13 again," said Rachael, who said that stepping onto the LLWS playing field is an escape like nothing else. Just to see the looks on the kids' faces, they are having so much fun."
Rachel takes a two-week vacation from his job to support the LLWS. This year he hosted a team from The Netherlands; last year it was a squad from Connecticut. "I have never hosted the winner, but my first year I worked with the team that made it to the finals. It was Phoenix City, Alabama, and they lost 5-0 to Japan."
This year Huntington Beach, Calif., beat Japan 2-1, to take the series title.
Rachael really gets a kick out of watching the players pile out of their buses as soon as they reach the stadium. "They run toward center field, onto that big hill that's above the outfield. They see the field below and the expressions on their faces are priceless."
'Anything The Team Needs'
As host Rachael is responsible for managing most of the details for a team during their stay, except conducting practice, he said. He makes sure the team gets their meals on time at the cafeteria, schedules practice time, coordinates media interviews and is present whenever a reporter speaks to a player, does their laundry, shows them around town . . . "I do basically anything the team needs."
Each year there are 16 teams, half from the U.S. and half are international. There are dorms and the kids spend a lot of time getting to know each other. "They play ping pong, video games, and do a lot more than just play baseball," said Rachael. "The communication between some teams is difficult at first, but by the end of the week you'd be surprised how well they can talk to each other. The kids may speak different languages but they all laugh the same."
Each June the LLWS holds a luncheon in Williamsport for the hosts of the upcoming series. Rules are reviewed and then each host pulls a baseball out of a bag that has the name of the team they will be working with. There are two hosts per team. "I have been doing this with a friend of mine, Ed Weinhoffer, for 10 of the last 14 years. I had tried to become a host right after I graduated from college, but the waiting list was long. As soon as the series expanded from eight to 16 teams I got the call."
On The Field, Too
Rachael loves baseball and played growing up. He still plays softball at the age of 57 one time a week. "I play third base and I play with a bunch of younger players and we are pretty competitive."
Besides getting to roll back the clock, Rachael supports the LLWS because of the friendships he makes. "The relationships you make with the kids are far and away the most rewarding aspect. I am still in contact with kids from years ago, from all over the world."
He also loves to see the sportsmanship the kids show. "It's just a great event and the kids truly love it. They are all champions when they get here, they play their hearts out, they lose, cry, and then a half hour later they are up in the swimming pool having fun with the kids that just beat them."
