My Lightning Summer, Revisited
Earlier this summer, I watched my 23rd “Lightning bug” run at Pat Thomas Stadium. I wasn’t donning my Leesburg polo or hat, and wasn’t sitting at the table underneath the press box covering the game. That was 10 years ago.
This time, I stood on the field near the home team’s dugout, sweet tea in hand, watching my four-year-old daughter Rylee dart around the bases, beaming with joy. It has been a decade since my Florida Collegiate Summer League internship with the Lightning and I made sure we got down to visit.
I didn’t know what to expect getting out of our rental car in the lot closest to Venetian Gardens. I was nervous (a me thing), but those nerves calmed as we walked through the brick pillars and arch entrance bearing the stadium’s name.
The first familiar face I saw was Jack “Stat Man” Meier, a good friend and someone I’ve kept in regular touch with since my internship wrapped up in August 2015. Right behind him was head coach Rich Billings, coming around the corner from the locker room to greet my family and catch up.
We then made our way up the breezeway, where each step offered a better glimpse of the field. And when I reached the top — with stadium seating ahead and concrete bleachers to my sides — I knew I was home.
My family found their seats, and I wandered to the snack bar that serves “Quite Possibly, America’s Finest Ballpark Food.” I stand by that claim — especially after eating dinner there at least three times a week during that summer. Food aside, that’s where I ran into team president Tyler Brandeburg. A ‘hug me brotha’ moment and a quick catch-up took place before he departed for pre-game, on-field activities.
The crowd kept filling in, and by the time first pitch came, there wasn’t an empty seat in sight. That — a full house — is what made Pat Thomas so special.
And as the game got underway, I found myself reflecting on my own summer in Leesburg. So, here it goes:
The Board
The first person I met in Leesburg was Elizabeth Knowles, the Lightning’s host family coordinator at the time. She made sure I got settled in and, that first night, introduced me to the rest of the board members: Jack, Roger Croft, Chuck Johnson, and Kim Higgins (take me back to the post-game chicken sandwich and sweet tea).
They weren’t just board members, they all had jobs on game day, too. Jack, as mentioned above, was the statistician, Roger served as radio commentary, Chuck was the PA announcer, and Kim ran concessions.
Soon thereafter, I met Jayme Johnson, the intern coordinator, and Billy Matthews, the play-by-play voice of the Lightning.
That group poured everything into the Lightning — all volunteers, away from their family to ensure that the community of Leesburg had a great time night after night at the ballpark.
The Interns
There were four of us: myself, the journalism intern, and three team operations interns: Austin Abbott, Austin Jacobson, and Joe DeFazio. Like the board, we had our roles on game day, but jumped in whenever needed. From zip-tying sponsor signs to the outfield fence, to hopping behind the concession stand, to squeegeeing water off the field on the Fourth of July just to make sure the Lightning played before the fireworks lit up the lake - we did it all.
We became one team. And we looked forward to every moment at Pat Thomas.
The Coaches
Coach Billings led a staff that included Mike Matulia, then athletic director at Lake-Sumter State College and Zachary Hubbard, a former player at LSSC. Coach Matulia and I had a Maryland connection, while Coach Hubbard was easy to talk to— both making it fun to be around.
As for Coach Billings and me, we talked at least twice a day that summer. From the very first practice, which was delayed by lightning (pun intended) and eventually rained out, to the pre- and post-game interviews we did all season long.
Though, there was one night I didn’t get the post-postgame interview. After a rough offensive performance with runners in scoring position, Coach Billings walked right past me following the loss (I get it.). So, I ended up interviewing Coach Matulia instead. To this day, I’ve only brought it up once; OK, maybe twice. Ha.
But the way Coach Billings coached, and the way he invested in his players, on and off the field, has always stuck with me. I know that every person who puts on a Lightning uniform is in good hands when he’s at the helm.
The Players
I’m pretty sure I could name 95% of the team even now, but we don’t have time for that (or do we…?) Anywho, here’s a few:
Derek Lamensdorf, the California kid with family in St. Pete — my very first feature story. Anthony Paesano, the electric lefty reliever who impressed every single time on the mound. Fan favorites and 2014 returners Igor Baez and Walker Burgess. Starters Blake Sanderson and Darren Kelly. Lake Sumter local products, Tanner Long and Austin Simmons. And then Doug Teegarden and Clay Simmons.
To this day, I still look back at the picture I took of the cotton candy sky above Pat Thomas the pitch before Clay belted a home run.
As Good As It Gets
Two players who are forever etched in my memory when it comes to top baseball moments: Josh Pagliei and Gustavo Rios.
It was a best-of-three series against the Altamonte Springs Boom, the league’s top dog. Game one was an away game for Leesburg. And they found themselves against a wall in the bottom of the ninth with bases loaded and one out. Pagliei is part of the double play that avoids a Boom walk-off and keeps the game knotted 0-0. In the tenth, Pagliei hits an RBI double to give Leesburg the lead and eventual win.
Game two at Pat Thomas. Leesburg is down 4-3 with two outs in the eighth. Gustavo Rios steps up to the plate. My ears are ringing as the crowd is looking for the big hit, and Rios delivers — a two-run double down the line for the Lightning lead and eventual trip to Tropicana Field for the FCSL championship.
Leesburg matched up against the Sanford River Rats in the championship game. One run scored that night — a passed ball in the sixth. As the team shook hands and the Lightning players packed their things after the 1-0 defeat, Chuck Johnson said, with what I’m pretty sure was a tear in his eye, “This is always the hardest part.”
He was right. And those words still ring true every time an FCSL season comes to a close.
Because what’s better than a group of players, volunteers, board members, and interns coming together to create something special around America’s pastime?
Nothing, nothing at all.
(Article Written by Sean Naylor, 2015 Journalism Intern)