theleaven.com | vol. 34, no. 40 | june 21, 2013
Big leaGue
Faith
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann talks to the participants at the Mike Sweeney Catholic Baseball Camp before leading them in the rosary. The camp, named for and run by former Kansas City Royals AllStar Mike Sweeney (to the left of the archbishop), featured several former professional baseball players.
saints
Story by Joe Bollig | Photos by Lori Wood Habiger
Play ball
Participants in the Mike Sweeney Catholic Baseball Camp get ready to take the field for skill drills with former St. Louis Cardinals minor leaguer Mike Breslin.
S
HAWNEE — An excited boy, about 11 years old, poked his head down between the bleachers and yelled down to his hero. “Sweeney! Hey, Sweeney!” he called. “I’m up
here!” Mike Sweeney, five-time Major League Baseball All-Star first baseman and former member of the Kansas City Royals, looked up and flashed a smile. The kid was in heaven — he’d connected with his hero. That was enough for now, but later he’d lobby for an autograph. That’s what all 135 boys, ages eight to 15, at the Catholic Baseball Camp of KC wanted from “Coach Sweeney” — a chance to connect with their hero. Sweeney was more than willing. So were many of the other pro-sport heroes
at the camp, which was conducted from June 4 to 6 at the Mid-America Sports Complex in Shawnee. Sweeney, however, wanted to help the boys connect with an even greater hero: Jesus “When I got done playing baseball, I said, ‘God put this dream in my heart to do and I’m going to do it,’” said Sweeney. “If only 10 kids show up because it’s called a Catholic camp, then so be it. But I’m going to try to make saints of these 10 kids.” Ten? Make that hundreds. Sweeney’s first Catholic baseball camp last year in San Diego (where he now lives) was very successful. For the Kansas City camp, boys — mostly Catholic, but not all — came from all over the metro area and even other states. >> See “Camp” on page 2
Safe
A participant at the Mike Sweeney Catholic Baseball Camp dives safely back to the bag during a scrimmage.