TEAM HOSTS PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN PLAYERS’ EXPERIENCE
PrintWILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- Team hosts, or "uncles" as they are commonly called, play a major role in every player's Little League World Series experience.
These dedicated individuals volunteer their time to be ambassadors of good will for Little League Baseball. Each team is assigned two uncles who take on various responsibilities, from arranging uniform fittings to helping in the coordination of the many media activities involving the teams. These volunteers spend every day of World Series week with their assigned team from breakfast well into the night, providing guidance and assistance to the players, coaches and managers.
Many of the team hosts are so well remembered by their charges that they maintain contact for many years after the players have gone back home. This year, the World Series is set for Aug. 20-26.
Normally, each team has two uncles. In 1999, several "uncles in training" joined the team in preparation for expansion, in 2001, of the Little League World Series from eight teams to 16. The 2000 team hosts, announced today by Stephen D. Keener, President and Chief Executive Officer of Little League Baseball, are:
John Shaible -
Chairman (15 years of service)
Jim Loftus - Deputy Chairman (first year)
U.S. Central Region
Peter A. Lupacchino (43
years of service)
Peter M. Lupacchino (9 years of service)
Joe Girio (3 years of service)
Charles Snyder (2 years of service)
U.S. East Region
Walter Zegarski (27 years of
service)
William Castle (12 years of service)
Hess Wertz (2 years of service)
U.S. West Region
Paul Fullmer (25 years of
service)
Jack Peters
Marlin Cromley (2 years of service)
U.S. South Region
Fred Plankenhorn (35 years
of service)
Paul Weaver (31 years of service)
Dennis Loner (2 years of service)
Europe Region
Dennis Kelley
Dick Reitz (17 years of service)
John Eastlake (2 years of service)
Latin America Region
Ray Warner
Edward Weinhoffer (15 years of service)
Craig Weaver (2 years of service)
Canada Region
Edward Claudius
George Girio (13 years of service)
Larry Missigman (9 years of service)
Gary Weaver (2 years of service)
Far East Region
Nick Cioffi
Mick Cioffi (22 years of service)
Thomas Rachael (2 years of service)
For more information contact:
Lance Van Auken, Director of Media Relations and Communications
Little League Baseball International Headquarters
(570) 326-1921
Media E-mail: media@littleleague.org;
WEB Site: http://www.littleleague.org
