Page 9 - The Friday Flyer ● JULY 26, 2019

JULY 26, 2019 THE FRIDAY FLYER A-9
Pro baseball players call Canyon Lake home...

ttFROM PAGE A5
Rangers, Reds, Diamondbacks, Royals and Rockies.
Brett now lives in Poway full time thoroughly en-
joying his family and their vacation home in Canyon
Lake. After 18 years of professional baseball, 14 Major
League seasons and 100 Major League wins, Brett was
able to walk away knowing that when it was time, he
had exhausted every single avenue. Major
League
Summary Baseball
Yogi Berra may have summarized the sport best, player Greg
“Baseball is 90 percent mental and the other half is Harris is
physical.” Over the past few weeks, these athletes col- pictured with
lectively expressed that all the fun and games became Canyon Lake
something so much more. Against all odds, each chose Mayor Pro-
to throw themselves into the arena. Suddenly, chapters Tem Jordan
of their lives were divided into nine-inning segments. Ehrenkranz,
Often playing with a broken body and sometimes who was
a broken heart, these boys of summer came from ev- Greg’s
erywhere but spoke a common language. Surrounded all-star
by equally talented athletes, they were willing to ride Little League
dirty buses for long hours to play in the heat, the cold coach in Los
and blinding dust. Often injured, their limbs would be Alamitos.
wrapped and shot with cortisone for the right of pas-
sage and even a badge of honor to this field of dreams.
Armed with their God-given talent and a dogged
compulsion to persevere, each transformed himself
into a human spectacle to be second-guessed by coach- PHOTO BY DONNA RITCHIE
es, scouts and sportswriters. They could be cheered one
day and jeered the next. Why not? From the comfort a
fan’s barcalounger, the task was simply to swing hard,
run fast and turn left. cure cancer. But they won the peace and made us all could be of interest but had no idea the list would grow
The great Willie Mays once noted, “Baseball most feel better about ourselves each time they played. to nine players.
truly is disguised combat. For all its gentility, it’s al- That wonderful baseball song says, “You Gotta Have I am an avid baseball fan who played sandlot ball
most leisurely pace, baseball is violence under wraps.” Heart,” and they certainly won ours. Thank you, Paul as a kid and now play senior softball. I looked forward
So, these players can proudly say they played with and Pettit, Jim Merritt, Jerry Wood, Jerry Johnson, Bobby to each of these interviews like it was Christmas morn-
against the very best in our great American pastime. Kielty, Greg Harris, Edgar Carroll, Rick Greene, and ing and relished hearing their first-hand experiences
This was their achievement and nobody can ever take Brett Tomko. You have all of Canyon Lake rooting for
that away. the home team. Canyon Lake proudly salutes you. about the game I love.
These elite athletes owed this quest to the little boy Columnist’s note: A few months ago, Edgar Car- On my very best day, I couldn’t hold a candle to
inside, as well as to their family, friends and coaches roll asked if I could help him contact Paul Pettit, who these tremendous athletes but fully appreciate their
who supported them along the way. None of them were I knew through the Fine Arts Guild. We thought a story abilities and challenges. I am proud and honored to
fooled into thinking their quest would win a war or about former professional ballplayers in Canyon Lake help share their stories.