“You may say I’m a dreamer, But I’m not the only one …”

– Imagine, by John Lennon

Paint a picture: You’re 12 years old. Little League try-outs in late spring … make the team … take home a starched white uniform to show Mom. You never forget how good the uni looked on the wire hanger.

Next, games through summertime’s best days, although you won’t know it until a decade has gone.

After every game a milkshake with teammates. July brings all-star team selections. Win a couple-three games, have a season-end party at the city park, turn in uniforms and grumble about school starting.

That’s how it was in time too-soon-gone, right?

Not so for 10 kids in LaGrange, Kentucky. They got hold of a brass ring – “you may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.”

As summer flipped to August, North Oldham’s Little Leaguers’ season grew into a whirlwind, a once-upon-a-time, only-happens-to-Roy-Hobbs memory-maker.

Imagine. Somebody puts you and nine pals on an airplane. Fasten your seat belts, boys, for some far off place called Newark. A day later, if you’re 13, you’ve come to Little League’s Nirvana. International Little League Baseball Park, Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Heard about the place on television. ESPN cameras and lights, a PNC Park perfect play surface. Field so immaculate, you almost hate to scuff dirt in the batter’s box. Fan buzz, tenor and alto mostly. Popcorn and hot dogs and tee-shirts. A grandstands population more than all but a handful of cities back in Kentucky, 41,000.

Game face. Revved. Your mind crackles at RPMs instead of MPH. Your eyes twitch and water at the edges, mouth as dry as day old saltines. Suddenly the coach is in the dugout looking into the faces of you and nine pals. In an octave higher than usual, he says, “Okay, guys, we’ve got a ballgame to play. Let’s just calm down.”

Really.

Your mind races back three weeks. July, you were 13 and the most important thing in life was buying a Frosty at the local Dairy Queen. Newspaper reporters? Those guys talked to politicians, not 13-year-olds with a mouthful of braces.

ESPN? They dealt with web gems and jabber heads, not some kid headed to middle school.

Back then, three weeks ago, only people who knew your name were mom, dad, your sister, a Sunday School teacher and the ball coach.

Strange. But there you are. Growing up in LaGrange, population. 6,553.

Like John Lennon said, “You may say I’m a dreamer … but I’m not the only one.”

America, I love this place.

FOOTBALL REV UP

Doesn’t feel like autumn, but sounds like it – crickets, high school pep bands, Friday night lights and a boomer headline roared out of western Kentucky in Week 1. Caldwell County 80, Calloway County 62.

Yes, football.

The college season opens next week.

First tailgate? Louisville’s Papa John Stadium parking lot Thursday night before UofL and Murray State. Charlie Strong’s poll ambitious Cardinals will try and win big, but try and hold back/hide how they did it. The Racers aim for a turnover-free 60 minutes and a game film to build on.

Season’s first teevee-mandated late game? Kentucky and Western Kentucky meet in Nashville in a game destined to end some time before day break.

• For Joker Phillips’ Wildcats “Must Win” is written on all three games leading to September 24 (Florida). Prime questions to be answered in week one: Can the quarterback make all good decisions quickly? Can the defense contain Bobby Rainey?

• Willie Taggart hopes for brag rights, competing with an SEC team for most of 60 minutes and damn the torpedoes. Could be a pass happy evening with lots of clock stops. What should be no surprise to anyone, Western has the Bluegrass State’s premier college running back, Bobby Rainey.

Mega-sidelight: Rainey has a knack for running to daylight. So does UK linebacker Danny Travathan.

• For Charlie Strong Louisville comes off a bowl win season that stretches the honeymoon and raises expectations for Season Two. An immaculate Cardinals performance in Game 1 could set off a ticket buying frenzy for Florida International 10 nights later.

UK BASKETBALL

Kentucky released its men’s schedule last week.

Best news for Wildcat fans with no game tickets is Big Blue will be on television for all 16 Southeastern Conference games, 12 nationally.

Also set for national television games against: Kansas, St. John’s, North Carolina and Louisville.

Schedule downside? If there is one – only two marquee opponents play at Rupp Arena – North Carolina and Louisville.

The television schedule is like a full house in John Calipari poker game, recruiting.

To best of the very prospects: “Come to Kentucky, son, and Momma can see you on television more often than LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Rajon Rondo combined. Oops. Maybe those guys won’t be on television this winter.

BEST JUMP SHOOTERS?

In a column last week I asked readers “who’s the best jump shooter you ever saw?”

Names sent my way: Rick Mount at Purdue, Pete Maravich at LSU, Austin Carr at Notre Dame, Louie Dampier at Kentucky, Mark Price at Georgia Tech, Tony Delk at Kentucky and Darrell Griffith at Louisville.

I would like to hear from you. E-mail to Sprtsinky@aol.com

Doug Kretzer from eastern Kentucky wrote: “… I have often wondered if great players run in a five-year era. In our 15th Region I have recalled some of the best players ran from 1954-58. All could average great numbers such as did Kelly Coleman, Grady Wallace and others. They were averaging in the 30s (without a 3-pointer). My little high school at Van Lear in Johnson County had Billy Ray Adams who averaged 36 points per game, but was seldom mentioned in the top players. The mid 1960s was chock full around our region with wonderful scorers- Alvin Ratliff of Meade Memorial, Orville Stepp in Inez, Bob, Mike and Pat Tallent of Maytown, Tommy Hall of Martin and so many more.

PARTING SHOT

As we get older, it’s harder to have heroes, but it’s sort of necessary – Ernest Hemingway

And so it goes.