Its Cooperstown dream sunk, youth team aids charity

The Montgomery Spartans of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, had raised the money needed to play in a tournament of their dreams: the annual 12-and-under at Cooperstown Dreams Park, just 6 miles from the Baseball Hall of Fame in upstate New York.

The Spartans were all set to drive up and compete among about 100 teams from around the country, but the COVID-19 pandemic prompted organizers to cancel this year’s tournament. It is a vintage baseball experience, and the team spent years raising the money to go. Next year, the current Spartans will be too old to participate.

Instead of sulking, the Spartans donated all the money they had raised — about $9,000 — to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s COVID-19 fund. Their donation was part of $250,000 raised by the children’s hospital’s COVID-19 relief fund.

Spartans coach Jim Bailey said it was the team’s collective idea to donate the money.

Cubby Bailey, son of the coach and a second baseman, shortstop, third baseman and pitcher, had a similar reaction about the money going to a good cause.

“I think it is cool,” he said. “It was great to give it to other people who need it.”

The Spartans donated the money in memory of D J Farrar, a member of the baseball team who died on Jan. 15, 2003, at the age of 13 after a two-year struggle with brain cancer.