Close friends playing in their 10th Disney Classic
Annual baseball trips bring Ohio kids together
The bond that connects Olivia Bricker and Clayton Hodge is stitched tighter than the seams on a baseball.
Through America’s pastime, they have forged a unique friendship. Baseball has provided them so much, including fun competitions — who could stay up the longest, who could make it to the car first, who could reach the door first — and laughter.
So much laughter. “Clay is a funny dude,’’ Olivia said. “Sometimes.’’
“I try to be funny,’’ Clayton said.
These baseball buddies from Cincinnati are in Central Florida this weekend for a significant milestone — their final tournament as teammates. As part of the Champions Baseball Academy travel team, Olivia and Clayton are participating in the Disney New Year’s Baseball Classic for the 10th and final time.
The tournament began Friday and will conclude New Year’s Day. Olivia and Clayton’s team is in the 18-and-under bracket, the oldest of nine age divisions.
“It’s bittersweet,’’ Olivia said. “It kind of sucks that this is our last year. It’s been so much fun.’’
Olivia and Clayton were only 8 when they played their first game at Disney. They liked to sit next to each other on the 14-hour bus rides from Ohio, creating their own little world.
Not much has changed. During a trip to Universal Studios on Thursday, Olivia and Clayton were ride partners.
“We have so much fun together that it’s just like everything around us just fades away,’’ Clayton said. “We make the fun out of any situation possible.’’
Both are pitchers. Olivia is left-handed and employs a knuckleball as her Kryptonite to combat batters’ bad intentions. Clay is righthanded whose best pitch is a curveball.
Olivia also plays the outfield, will play softball at Wright State in Dayton, and wants to pursue a degree in business and accounting. Clayton’s secondary position is second base, and he wears No. 14 in honor of his favorite player, Pete Rose.
Clayton will play baseball for the University of Cincinnati Clermont College, with plans to become a pharmacist and part-time investor.
“It’s been special, just seeing them pick each other up when they’re down, laugh,’’ said Mike Bricker, Olivia’s father and coowner of Champions Baseball Academy. “Lifelong memories.’’
Olivia and Clayton can’t keep smiling around each other, but a sense of toughness exists beneath those happy faces.
In 2011, Clayton was injured severely during a game in Ohio. While pursuing a popup between the mound and third base, Clayton called for the ball. As he tried to secure the out, the third baseman’s forehead collided with his mouth.
Teeth dislodged. Bones broke. Blood and tears flowed. Gum tissue was replaced.
Clayton was for a year.
“[When] I finally got him settled down a little bit, the first thing he said to me was, ‘Did I catch it?’ ’’ said his father, Homer, who manages the academy team.
Homer found the ball in Clayton’s glove two weeks later. out of baseball
As for Olivia, she been the only girl on travel team except for year.
When she was much younger, a pitcher intentionally hit her in the back. Olivia took her base, then stole second and third before scoring. The next time up, the pitcher tried to intimidate her again.
Olivia drilled the his shin.
“I’ve been accepted pretty much every team I’ve been on,’’ Olivia said. “All you have to do is work harder than the boys pretty much because you’re not as strong or as big as the boys.
“You have to find other ways to make yourself better than them.’’
Olivia has done that. She earned saves in both of her team’s first two games, including a 9-4 victory Saturday. Clayton no doubt cheered her on.
As they learned young age, that’s friendship works. has her one ball off at a how