[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 21104-21105]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                BEN COLE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACK KINGSTON

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 15, 2011

  Mr. KINGSTON. Mr. Speaker, every town has a few heroes, and lucky is 
the man whose life crosses the path of one. I have had that good 
fortune in getting to know Ben Cole of Savannah.
  Ben runs the Chain Baseball Academy. For nearly two decades, he had 
trained thousands of boys in the competitive art of ``America's 
Favorite Pastime.'' Ben takes youngsters of various walks of life and 
teaches them the fundamentals of hitting, pitching, and catching. Many 
go on to become star high school, college, and professional baseball 
players. It is no surprise that Chain Baseball has produced over 300 
college level athletes and 44 professional, including two World Series 
pitchers!
  However it is not just about baseball. It's about character building, 
teamwork, and excelling on and off the field. Ben's most important 
lesson for the parents is that if the kid doesn't want to be a baseball 
player: Don't force him. In today's society, sometimes parents can push 
their children too much. That takes the fun out of it for them and can 
hurt their confidence. Instead, parents should let them enjoy being 
kids. If they want to play baseball, fine, and if they don't, that's 
fine too. They have to want it for themselves, not their Moms and Dads.
  Because of the amount of traveling required, playing baseball can be 
expensive. Not all families can afford the time and money involved. 
That's why Ben and Chain owner Buddy Meyer work hard to find financial 
aid for kids in need. The term ``elite athlete'' doesn't mean 
financially elite. They want the door to be open to all.
  Ben also works patiently with Moms and Dads. He has a special place 
for women whose husbands are deployed. Chain Academy is less than a 
mile from Hunter Army Airfield, home of the 3rd ID. Often, Moms walk

[[Page 21105]]

through the door with a boy whose dad is in Afghanistan or Iraq. Mom 
doesn't know much about baseball, but she's come to the right place. 
Ben makes sure her son, who has often just moved to town, is treated 
like family.
  Finally, Ben leads by example. At 81 years old, he doesn't sit at the 
desk barking out instructions. He gets in the cage, picks up a bat, and 
shows his students how to swing, catch, or throw. And when the time 
allows, he puts on a batter's helmet and takes a few swings himself. 
With his perfect form he drives the ball hard and strong, proving to 
all he knows what he's doing.
  Ben likes the great athlete but no more than the earnest athlete. No 
matter what the age, if a kid tries his best, Ben's there to help make 
him a better player. I can attest to that. I've seen him patiently 
spend hours coaching a fifty-six-year-old congressman. Even if there's 
little improvement, year by year, he's ready to help! His enthusiasm is 
contagious.
  Ben's an optimist. He loves his country, his family, his favorite 
sport of baseball and the kids of all ages who play it. Star athletes 
come to the Chain all the time but nothing lights up his face as much 
as a grandchild.
  In today's society, we have widespread obesity. In the Agriculture 
Appropriations Subcommittee, we spend as much time talking about 
obesity and exercise as hunger. We need more people like Ben who have 
kept themselves in shape. We need people to stay active physically, 
mentally, and spiritually. Think of the billions we could save in 
health care costs if more people took Ben's example. Finally, think how 
much more fun we'd have as a country if instead of just watching 
America's favorite pastime we would all play it.
  May Ben and the Chain Baseball Academy keep up the good work and 
continue to inspire the rest of us for many years to come.

                          ____________________