I love baseball…I am a Die Hard Chicago Cubs fan and I know baseball inside out. Mark my words when I say that we have, in our family, a young man who is destined to be a Major League baseball player. His name is Nathanial and he is our youngest nephew. Nathanial is a member of the Indiana Baseball Academy from Carmel, Indiana and his traveling team was recently invited to Cooperstown, New York to participate in a national tournament. Fortunately for us, Cooperstown was only a drive of a few hours from where the Lolligag was currently, so we eagerly rented a car to watch Nathanial play ball. My brother Bill, as well as Nathanial’s parents Lisa and Greg, also came to watch the tournament and it was nice to visit with my sibs while watching some outstanding baseball.
I was not exactly sure what to expect, HOWEVER, I could never have imagined the wonderful baseball program and experience that is offered at Cooperstown Dreams Park. It truly is beyond even Kevin Costner’s Field of Dreams park…every detail of a quality wholesome baseball experience has been conceived and executed for the enjoyment and skill enhancement of the participants and fans. With twenty-two baseball diamonds available for tournament games, literally hundreds of youngsters have the opportunity to be invited to Dreams Park each year to play. 
The players and their parents are given an orientation by park personnel and then the players are “housed” in team barracks where they will spend the remainder of the week away from their parents. This allows the players to experience what it is like in a training camp environment and to focus on the hands-on skills training seminars that they each attend during the week. 
While Nathanial is a very talented athlete, he is also a very humble young man and not one to seek the limelight. He takes his training and coaching advice very seriously and even at this young age has that “Major League Baseball Player” look about him. He is a well-rounded player who can play multiple positions but pitching is where his heart lies. He also wields a mighty bat and while at Cooperstown, Nathanial hit three home runs. One of which we were present to witness as well as the wide smile on his face as he rounded third base.
Nathanial’s family are tried and true St Louis Cardinals fans and as everyone knows, the Cards are the nemesis of the Chicago Cubs. Several years ago when we still lived in Chicago, I had the pleasure of taking Nathanial to his first Major League baseball game…of course it was Cubs vs Cards and the Cubs actually won the game. I have often been chastised by my family of Cardinal’s fans when I have referred to Nathanial as a Future Chicago Cub…but I think his father Greg said it best when he said “…if Nathanial gets drafted by the Chicago Cubs organization EVEN I will become a Cubs fan!”
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