Tar, are you back in Bradenton? I will be there tomorrow. Let me know!
Here is a nice article about Farmington and the CMWS experience.
A special momento
By Nicole Baker /The Daily Times
Aug 11, 2004, 11:50 pm
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FARMINGTON — Most teenagers think about receiving presents on their birthdays, not about giving gifts away.
For Florida Bomber Brian Van Kirk, who turned 19 Tuesday while here in Farmington playing in the 2004 Connie Mack World Series, giving his host family something to remember him by was important. On Tuesday, he presented his host family with a very memorable gift — his home run trophy.
His host family are the Uselmans. Valerie and Mark Uselman are the parents. Their five kids are Calen Uselman, 12, Simeon Uselman, 14, Bryson Uselman, 17, Chad Uselman, 26, and Brandon Uselman 28.
“They’ve given me a lot of memories,” Van Kirk said. “Farmington has been great, housing me with a great family.”
Van Kirk didn’t have far to look for a thank you gift, having won the CMWS home run derby trophy Saturday on the first day of World Series action.
“As a token of my gratitude for what they’ve done for me I wanted to give them something to remember me by — my home run trophy,” Van Kirk said.
“When I went to the house the younger kids (Calen and Simeon) were really excited when they heard I was in the home run derby, and they were just as excited, if not more excited, than I was when I won,” he added. “So, I thought I would give the trophy to them.”
His host family was very touched by the memento.
“It was the sweetest thing,” Valerie Uselman said. “He is such a generous young man.
“He has really connected with our kids. It is something that they will always remember,” she added.
“It’s really awesome,” Calen Uselman said. “We’ve never got something like that before. Something that says we kept the home run derby winner.”
Van Kirk noted that he wanted his host family to have the trophy in spite of how much it meant to him to have earned it.
“It meant a lot,” Van Kirk said of winning the trophy. “Sixteen of the best power hitters took part (in the home run derby) and by winning, it showed that I was one of the best power hitters out there.”
“(The home run derby) got the fans to come out and watch. Gave them a thrill,” he added.
Van Kirk, though, had a hand in giving himself another birthday present. Van Kirk and the Bombers won their second game Tuesday, 9-2 over the Guaynabo Jets, to remain undefeated at the 40th Farmington Connie Mack World Series.
“It goes beyond baseball,” Florida Bombers manager David Elder said. “It’s about character. That kind of unselfishness spills out onto the field. It makes us a better team.”
Nicole Baker: nicoleb@daily-times.com
