They all came here as champions one week ago. All sixteen competing teams in this year’s Little League Baseball World Series brought with them regional titles and high hopes that their return trip home would include a much sought after new moniker; that of Little League Baseball World Champions!

But one by one the enormity of that monumental task has left only a talented and battle-tested few still alive with an opportunity to wear the coveted crown. Philosophically, Little League officials are correct when year after year they proclaim, ‘every team that comes here is a champion.’ But privately the coaches and players who have traveled the long and winding road to South Billtown most likely adhere to the words of wisdom of former New York Jets coach and current broadcaster Herm Edwards who once proclaimed, "you play to win the game!"

Without question those Little League teams gathered in our community have all been trying to do just that, but come Sunday evening while all will have memories, only one will leave as undisputed champions. For most, the chance to give a championship performance on the hallowed grounds of Lamade and Volunteer stadiums is a one and done deal. While teams from their league or community may someday return, Father Time will turn them into men, or in some cases women, who will forever tell the story of what is was like to be at the Little League World Series.

But for those who live within the signal range of WRAK radio, or the inhabitants of far away places linked to the proceedings via an electronic feed, one very special team has been producing championship results far longer than anyone else. While its team members have aged, their enthusiasm for describing what goes on before their eyes has been ageless.

Purchasers of this year’s LLB World Series programs may have already digested a feature story detailing the combined 127 years of broadcasting history etched into the radio record books by WRAK’s talkative trio of Bill Byham, Ken Sawyer and Gary Chrisman.

　 For the record, 2010 marks the golden 50th year anniversary of series broadcasting for Byham, a man previously honored by Little League Baseball with the naming of Volunteer Stadium’s radio row in his honor. While officially known by its given name, those closest to the local radio icon refer to the place as "the Buck" in deference to the yarn-spinning broadcaster’s long-ago acquired nickname.

Byham’s main sidekicks, Ken Sawyer and Gary Chrisman are no rookies when it comes to calling series action. Sawyer, WRAK’s news director and talk show host, is calling his 40th series while Chrisman, sister station KISS-FM’s morning master, has been on the team for 37 years.

"I feel I’ve had the best," Byham described his broadcast partners. "Through all the years, we’ve been behind a microphone together and we’re the closest of friends. We were once competitors years ago working at different stations. Then things happened and now we are on the same team. Every year I get psyched to do it all over again and I like to think we are able to give the listener a entertaining account of what is going on, both on the field and behind the scenes."

WRAK’s long and successful history with Little League has placed the station in the position as the exclusive home for all English-speaking broadcasts emanating from the series. Local stations from around the county have long been kept abreast of the series actions via the voices of the talented trio and their counterparts.

"There is no question the families and friends of the players bring their hometowns with them to Williamsport. With them come many remarkable stories. It continues to be an honor and a thrill to be able to send those stories back to those various hometowns to the folks who wish they could be here but instead are tuned into our broadcasts. We owe them all the best job we can possibly do, " Sawyer said.

For Chrisman, hometown pride and an internal high speed motor gets him revved up.

"I’m proud of where I’m from," he said. "When I tell people I’m from Williamsport, so many say, ‘Hey, that’s the home of the Little League World Series’ I love promoting the series and talking about it. It’s one of the great venues in all of sports."

This year, for the first time, WRAK and sister station WBYL, are broadcasting every series game. For the past several years, the trio has been joined by veteran local broadcasters Mike Fogarty, Tom Speicher and an honored yours truly in calling series action.

"When the Series expanded to 16 teams in 2001 we were fortunate to add Scott, Mike and Tom to our coverage team," Sawyer added. "They have been vital to our coverage of so many games and bring the true feel of the Series to our listeners. Tom’s ‘Man in the Crowd’ segments have really helped us bring something special to the broadcasts."

While two on-the-field losses end the dreams of further glory for the youthful hopefuls, elimination is the furthest thing on the minds of the WRAK crew. Just like the energizer bunny, they keep going and going and going.

If you can’t hop over to view the action in person, click on the radio, sit back and enjoy.

People often ask me if I have any trouble "getting up" for a Little League World Series. The very simple answer is No. There is just something about watching (and broadcasting) these young men (and sometimes young women) play this game at such an early age with plays　 that can grab a crowd of thousands to fill the air with very loud cheering support.　

I sit there and a second baseman somehow takes a couple of steps to his left and cuts off a hard hit ball heading for the right field gap and throws the runner out at first from his knees. I do the same thing when a left fielder scoops up a base hit while on the run and fires the ball to the plate on　 one hop to cut down a runner trying to score from second.　 Year after year, game after game and play after play these players make the game bigger than it should be. 　

When I think back on the years, it has been the development of the players talents that has most impressed me. Their coaches have really expanded their teaching to bring their teams to this annual sporting event that has been listed in the Top 25 sporting events "you don’t want to miss.’

I love and respect their attitude at 11 or 12 or 13 years of age. They still smile when they make a play. They still smile when they get a base hit. They still smile when a team mate does something good. They still talk it up in supporting their pitcher or the team mate at bat. And they are not afraid to cry when they lose.

Counting today there is still a lot of action to be seen in this series which will be culminated on Sunday afternoon with the World’s Championship game.　

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