12u Bandits Crush Cooperstown

The 12u Bandits made the epic pilgrimage to the annual Cooperstown, NY tournament. Something OBA has had the privilege to continuously participate in for over 15 years and counting!  This particular team had an amazing experience both on the field and off.

On the field… out of 96 teams from around the country, including top travel ball teams… they…

• Won 5 of 7 games and made it to the round of 32 of the knockout round!
• They finished 2nd out of 96 in the much anticipated “Around the Horn” team skills competition!
• Their “Road Runner” speed skill player finished 19th out of the 96 fastest players nominated from each team (or more plainly: 19th out of 1100 total players)!

Off the field…

• They survived 6 days in a bunk house described as “military.”
• Two of their three amazing coaches, Teddy Hoxie and Brian Dell’Aquila, bunked with them this whole time and never lost their minds (we think?).
• They visited the MLB Hall of Fame, with a private session with a HOF docent that told the real history of baseball, how the HOF really operates, and held a **vibrant** Q&A session about hot baseball debates (i.e. “best post-season ever by a pitcher: MadBum or Bulldog Hersheiser?”)!