Retired baseball pro encourages the Olney Cub Little League team

The Olney Cubs Little League team had a special guest show up at practice Thursday, May 6. Ex-Phillies player, Mike Pace, surprised the Olney Cubs Little Leaguers coached by brothers Jacob and Zach Gallardo.

Pace said regarding working with the Little Leaguers, “I wish I could talk to aspiring baseball players all the time. When I was in Little League, I will never forget when a pro baseball player named Lynn Bishop came to talk to our baseball team. He taught me how to throw a pitch that made me more successful. So, I will always take time to talk to young players. I still have the note he wrote to me.”

Pace added that after talking to the players, he observed them as they took to the infield, offering many tips to the centerfield player, because that was his college position.

The little ballers were thrilled to interact with someone who grew up in Olney and started right where they are now.

Kanton Rodgers said, “I learned that everyone strikes out, but you get back to the plate anyway.”

The coaches also weighed in on Pace’s visit.

“The cool thing about meeting Mr. Pace was that he knows that he could make it to the big league with hard work,” Coach Jacob said.

Coach Zach commented that he enjoyed listening to Pace talk and watching him interact with the team the way he did. “Mr. Pace made the kids realize that baseball is about failure. It teaches you to keep trying. He even got out there and helped with some fielding before he left.”

The Olney Cubs Little League team is a select team that uses funds from sponsors to cover the costs. Team manager Melenda Gallardo said, “Each year, we work to find sponsors to cover costs [such as] registration fees, hats and jerseys. We want to thank this year’s sponsors: Brazos Communications, Jackpot Concrete & Construction, LLC., Hometown Coffee and Tea, Dr. Munoz and Olney Sales, Inc.”