MSU Summer Baseball Diaries, Part One
7/20/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
July 20, 2006
HAYS, Kan. - Greetings, Spartan fans. This is Mike Monterey checking in from Hays, Kan.
I am currently playing for the Hays Larks, who participate in the summer collegiate league known as the Jayhawk league. The Jayhawk league consists of six teams, which are based out of towns from Kansas and Missouri.
Alongside me is Spartan teammate Kyle Day, who has been enjoying plenty of success as a member of the Larks. Kyle has been a vital part of our team's success, and a large reason why we currently reside in first place with a record of 28-12.
I came to Hays, Kan., in the beginning of June, and have immensely enjoyed the last two months I have spent here. I have seen some awesome sights such as buffalo and two foot tall jack rabbits. Coming from Michigan I have never experienced the wind and storms that Kansas experiences. I just hope I continue to stay lucky and avoid the tornados that have touched down this summer.
My host family, the Hopps, have been a major reason why my stay has been enjoyable. They have far exceeded anything I expected, and have been nothing other than fantastic. My host dad, Kendall, owns a feed lot and works long days in the 100 plus degree heat. (For all those that don't know what I feed lot is; it is a place where they feed and fatten cattle up before sending them out to be slaughtered. I know this is my first experience with a feed lot.) My host mom, Joni, stays at home and keeps busy with cooking fabulous meals and making sure my stay is comfortable.
The Hopps have two children. Megan (17) is the oldest of the two, and has been keeping busy preparing for her senior year. She is also a cheerleader and has been practicing hard preparing for her final year. Zachary (7) is a ball of energy and a sports fanatic. Although he is a huge University of Kansas fan, he has made a smooth transition into becoming a Spartan fan.
His favorite sports are baseball and basketball, and he currently just finished his baseball season playing for the Red Sox. Now that baseball season has ended, he is itching for basketball to start up again.
Getting back to baseball, I have truly enjoyed playing for the Larks. The Larks have a long tradition of excellence winning the Jayhawk league title, and it looks like we are in good shape to repeat. The team is a great group of guys ranging from schools all over the country such as Baylor, Missouri, and Notre Dame. We play our home games at "Larks Park", which is also the home to the Fort Hays State University Tigers. Our average attendance at the games range from 200-300 people. Our goal for the summer is to finish first or second in the league, which would then qualify us to participate in the National Baseball Congress (NBC) World Series. The World Series starts August 1st and we would compete against teams across the country and even some international teams.
Like I mentioned earlier, I am playing with guys who attend the University of Notre Dame. It has been a great experience talking with these players and exchanging stories about Coach Grewe or Coach "Red" as they refer to him. Also, I have noticed the similarities between our programs and other top notch programs and am confident that Coach Grewe is leading the Spartans in the right direction.
I wish the best of luck to my teammates in their respective summer leagues, and I hope everyone returns healthy. I am looking forward to coming back to Michigan State to begin working toward the Big Ten title.
Go Spartans!
