[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 21457]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO THE LOGAN COUNTY LITTLE LEAGUERS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 
remarkable accomplishments of the Logan County Little League All-Star 
team. While I remember fondly the years I played America's pastime in 
my youth, none of my experiences can compare to those of these 10 
Little Leaguers as they competed in this year's Little League World 
Series.
  Despite its small-town feel, Logan County has produced a number of 
notable individuals, from astronauts and governors to NBA players and 
Major League Baseball pitchers.
  So it is not surprising that a community that has already produced 
such notable figures would rally behind a group of 11- and 12-year-old 
players who represented the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the Great 
Lakes Region in this year's Little League World Series. As the first 
team from Kentucky to reach this level of competition in 4 years, Logan 
County's All-Stars demonstrated their talent in the games leading up to 
their World Series bid.
  When four players homered in the regional final in Indianapolis, the 
Logan County All-Star team set its sights on Williamsport, PA. 
Thankfully, their vision found support in the community. In order to 
afford the sizable cost of travel and lodging, the Little Leaguers and 
their supporters raised funds in all manner of ways, from selling steak 
sandwiches and auctioning off signed baseballs to holding a telethon at 
a local radio station.
  The team played its first two games of the double elimination 
tournament against the West Region champions from Chula Vista, CA. 
While the Western team proved to be overpowering, Logan County's team 
demonstrated remarkable sportsmanship. As the proud winning-bidder of 
an auctioned T-shirt put it, ``Their character is impeccable, and we 
know a lot of them . . . they behave themselves and they represent 
Logan County and Kentucky perfectly.''
  Regardless of what the scoreboard read, Logan County's All-Stars are 
winners. Moreover, this experience stretches beyond moments played out 
between the chalk-marked lines of the field. These youngsters were able 
to meet and develop bonds with other players from countries all over 
the world. Several players described their trip with one word--
``awesome.''
  It is with great honor that I place the names of this year's Logan 
County Little League All-Stars into the Record. Under the leadership of 
manager Kevin Gettings, team members Caleb Bruner, Joe Holliday, Zack 
Denney, Tucker Baldwin, Daniel Beaty, Desmon Quarles, Matt Harper, 
Barrett Croslin, Ian Woodall, and Jacob Wood made their hometown, their 
State, and this Senator very proud.

                          ____________________