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SIDELINES

Little Leaguers sport pink socks for good cause

By Travis Lazarczyk tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

AUGUSTA — Team Chelsea lined up on the third base line to recite the Little League pledge before its game against Hammond Lumber. It looked like a typical youth baseball team, save the pink socks worn by every player.

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RAISING AWARENESS: Jacob Carr ties his shoes in the Chelsea dugout during a Saturday afternoon game in Augusta. The Chelsea Little League team is wearing pink socks and arm bands in support of one of the player’s mothers, Melissa O’Connor, in her fight against breast cancer.

Staff photo by Joe Phelan

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TEAM TRIBUTE: Page Mills, left, and Melissa O’Connor watch the Chelsea Little League team play Saturday. The team is wearing pink socks in support of O’Connor’s fight against breast cancer.

Staff photo by Joe Phelan

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The pink is in honor of Melissa O’Connor, whose 12-year-old son Devon plays for Chelsea. Melissa is fighting breast cancer.

“It was the kids’ idea,” assistant coach Ed Bowie said. “They see the major league guys do it and since it was Mother’s Day and the impact breast cancer has had on this team, they wanted to do it.”

Melissa O’Connor was diagnosed in early April. After returning from a family vacation to Florida, she went in for surgery May 6. On May 8, she went to Devon’s baseball game.

She didn’t know about the team’s tribute until she arrived at Augusta’s Linscott Field and saw the pink socks and wristbands.

“Of course, it was a very emotional thing for me,” Melissa O’Connor said. “Not just for me, but for any woman fighting breast cancer.”
Melissa is the 10th woman in her family to battle breast cancer. As emotional a moment it was for her to see the team in pink, how was it for Devon?

“I felt really proud,” Devon said. “And I went to the baseball game and everybody was wearing them. I broke down and cried.”

At first, Chelsea’s plan was to wear the pink socks and wristbands just that one game on the day before Mother’s Day. Then the team decided, why not the season?

“They wear it very proud,” Melissa O’Connor said. “That’s just something you don’t see all the time.”

The rest of the Augusta Little League started to take notice, and everybody has been supportive of Chelsea’s uniform choice.

“It’s been really cool. Other teams said, ‘I wish we had done it.’ ” Bowie said.

Chelsea’s coach, Dennis Gagne, and his assistants make sure every player plays every position. Teaching the game is as important just as playing it. The pink socks and wrist bands are another way to teach.

“It’s been really emotional, but it’s raised awareness,” coach Bowie said. “Breast cancer is something we can beat, and if these kids are wearing (pink) for their mothers, more people can become aware.”

If karma were instant, or if real life were like a Disney movie, Chelsea would be undefeated and rolling over opponents like the 1927

New York Yankees. But Saturday’s 10-6 win against Hammond Lumber was Chelsea’s first victory of the season.
Chelsea needed an extra inning for the win, scoring four runs in the top of the seventh.

It wasn’t sewn up until Nick Bowie made a game-ending catch in left field in the bottom of the inning. Bowie ran in triumphant, his arms raised skyward, and met his teammates near third base for an impromptu celebration.

Little League is great because you can celebrate making a game-ending Sno Cone catch with an actual Sno Cone. Chelsea was ready to toast its win with ice cream.

There’s talk of every team in the league wearing pink socks next season, on the Saturday before Mother’s Day. For now, for the rest of this season, Chelsea will continue to wear the pink. Hopefully, the victories become more frequent.

But even if they don’t, the Team Chelsea players don’t have anything to prove. This season and forever, they’re winners.
 

Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com