On Tuesday afternoon, February 16th, a snowy day in New York City didn't dispel the notion that baseball fever was in the air. In a special opportunity for members of the Lehman College campus, the elusive World Series Trophy – which currently belongs to the New York Yankees who claimed their 27th world title by defeating Philadelphia in six games in the 2009 Fall Classic – was on display in the East Dining Room of the Music Building from 1:00pm-3:00pm.
As expected, members of the 2010 Lehman College baseball team made their way to the Music Building on campus to catch a glimpse of the trophy and take some pictures with the prize. Lightning senior first baseman and designated hitter Jason Caraballo commented on just how special seeing the trophy was.
“Any time that you have a chance to see first-hand a trophy that has been held and possessed by so many great teams and individuals, it's something that you cherish, especially being such an avid baseball supporter,” Caraballo said. “It's something that not only puts you in awe as a baseball fan, but it also motivates guys on our team to be the best that we can be.”
Another senior on the squad – the nifty and dependable Matthew Arvelo – believes any positive experience for the team prior to the season is a good thing.
“Any time you're starting a new season, it's always good to go into it with positive feelings,” Arvelo said. “For our team to have the opportunity to see the World Series trophy up close, it's a tremendous experience. Again, any kind of motivation to achieve success can rub off, and maybe we'll look back on a day like today and say that this experience was one of our inspirations to be champions and be the best we could be.”
Other notable Lightning players who posed with the trophy included Brian Cubero, Francisco Sanchez, George Flores, Bobby Villante, and Igancio Rodriguez.
The Lehman College baseball program introduced John Foster as its new baseball coach in the middle of November, and he believes its great for his players to see what the reward is for reaching baseball's pinnacle.
“Being a former major league baseball player and seeing these young guys having so much passion for the game, I feel it's a great chance for these players to see maximum team greatness is,” Foster said. “Seeing that trophy makes you want to be the best that you can be in this game, regardless of what level you play at.”
Lehman's 2010 season schedule was recently released. The team will open its season on Sunday afternoon, March 14th, as the Lightning will battle SUNY Maritime in a non-conference doubleheader at South Field. The two contests will kick-off Lehman's 36 game (not counting CUNYAC tournament contests), 55 day season.
