By Christian Davis
C & G Sports Writer

Come June 28, the Fraser Baseball Club’s 12-and-under team will find itself on perfectly manicured lawns and an infield that doesn’t know the meaning of a bad hop.

The club is heading to Cooperstown, N.Y., the home of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, for the Dreams Park and American Youth Baseball Hall of Fame Invitational Tournament.

Coach Rob Johnson said his team is guaranteed eight games from June 28 to July 4.
“It’s really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the boys,” Johnson said. “We play in a number of tournaments for the year, but this is far and away the highlight of our season.”

The Fraser club received their invitation to the tournament with a little help from their friends.

The Michigan Wolves travel program, based out of Warren, was asked to attend but does not have a U-12 team. Instead, their U-10 club is going.

“They couldn’t use the invitation, so they gave it to us,” Johnson said. “We applied, and they allowed us to get in the tournament.”

Players and coaches aren’t the only ones excited about the trip. Dan Kerr, whose son, Danny, is a catcher on the team, echoed Johnson’s feelings about this being a great experience for the kids.          

“Every parent is walking a foot off the ground,” he said. “To go play on these professionally manicured fields is a great opportunity for all the boys and the parents.”
Johnson said though his team will be looking to gain some victories, the results are secondary to simply enjoying the experience.

The kids seem to be on the same page as their coach.

When Danny Kerr was asked what he’s most looking forward to, he said, “Just have a good time and meet players from other teams from around the country.”

Johnson also added that he’s looking forward to spending the week with his son, Chris, who is also on the squad.

“For a 12-year-old boy that loves the game of baseball, I can’t imagine a better place to play a tournament. The Hall of Fame is a place everyone that loves baseball should have the opportunity to see,” he said. “I think when the kids realize … exactly what this experience is, I think they’re going to take away a lot more than eight or 10 games of baseball.

“For me, it’s almost reliving a childhood, so that’s a thrill. And I get to experience it with my son, which is an added bonus.”

You can reach Sports Writer Christian Davis at cdavis@candgnews.com or at (586) 498-1062.