BRISTOL, C.T. — A lineup card clung to the chain link fence that lined Hollidaysburg Little League’s dugout.
On it, manager Jim McGough didn’t fill in his batting order for the Mid-Atlantic regional final against Delaware. Instead, streaks of dry erase markers spelled out the phrases that had helped his team through a trying postseason.
“A team that believes will achieve,” the card read. “Have fun, play together and let yourself be great today.”
At the bottom, the card was signed “One Team,” Hollidaysburg’s mantra as it won the PA District 11, PA Section 4 and Pennsylvania state championships. And, below the signature, a reminder of the team’s new rallying cry — “Bull Power.”
BULL POWER had aided Hollidaysburg long before it defeated Naamans Little League to clinch the Mid-Atlantic crown Friday.
The Tigers had become accustomed to celebrations of bull horns and foot stomps after adopting the gesture nearly two weeks prior. They learned the moves from Carmine Calderone, a 21-year-old who plays for the Bradford Challenger Little League team.
The Little League Challenger Division, founded in 1989, is the organization’s adaptive baseball program for individuals with physical and intellectual challenges. Bradford’s Challenger team celebrated its first year in 2022.
Calderone introduced Hollidaysburg to “Bull Power” — his on-field celebration of choice — during his team’s game against Warren Challenger.
Hollidaysburg and Keystone stayed after their elimination game to volunteer as “baseball buddies” for the Challenger Division contest, an exhibition held the evening before the PA state finals. Then, after Hollidaysburg left Bradford, the team began exchanging video messages of encouragement with Calderone and the rest of the Bradford Challenger team.
Now, “Bull Power” can be found wherever Hollidaysburg goes. The phrase is written on clipboards, chanted through clubhouses and written on the insides of hats.
Hollidaysburg’s bats stayed hot at the regional tournament. With Calderone, Bradford Challenger and the local Little League community behind them, the Tigers rode Bull Power to the Little League World Series.
“We really made a connection with the Challenger team, and Bull Power helps us remember why we’re doing it,” McGough said. “The kids love to do it and it gives them a lot of inspiration when they step up to the plate.”
AFTER THE TIGERS won their first game of the Mid-Atlantic regional, they received a congratulatory video message from Carmine Calderone.
Hollidaysburg returned the favor, and soon, the two sides exchanged videos throughout the tournament. Bradford Challenger gathered a half-dozen players to send Hollidaysburg their best wishes, and then watched as the Tigers celebrated home runs and victories with bull horns on the base paths.
After dropping a game to Delaware and falling to the elimination bracket, Hollidaysburg found itself in a situation similar to where it stood in Bradford. A 5-4 loss to Keystone Little League had put the Tigers on the verge of elimination at states, and a setback to Naamans by the same score had put their season in jeopardy again at regionals.
Like they did the evening of the Challenger game, however, Hollidaysburg rallied.
“We had a very similar situation come upon us and we had the same conversations we had in Bradford,” McGough said. “We talked about how we wanted to respond, learn from some of the mistakes we made and come out stronger after the loss.”
After defeating Washington, D.C., to reach the Mid-Atlantic championship game, Hollidaysburg avenged its loss to Naamans with a seven-run outburst, emerging with a 7-3 victory. Caleb Detrick’s sixth-inning home run put an exclamation point on the win, and as he rounded second base, Detrick helped introduce Bull Power to the national television audience watching on ESPN.
“They want to do well and they want the kids in Bradford to see that they’re there with us,” McGough said. “We couldn’t be happier to have the Bull Power given to us from Carmine, and we’re happy to carry it with us to Williamsport. They genuinely feel that the kids they met in Bradford are now their teammates. Every time you see those bull signs, that’s the signal that the Bradford kids are with them, and they drive a lot of motivation from that.”
AFTER THEIR week-long stay in Bradford, the Tigers gained a local following.
State tournament attendees, volunteers and more have tracked Hollidaysburg’s progress beyond Pitt-Bradford, and viewing parties were advertised in town during the Mid-Atlantic regional. Though they came to McKean County from more than 100 miles away, many from their host community have adopted them as their own.
“That was the exact reason we decided to have the Challenger game as a part of our tournament, just to get that group of kids some publicity and recognition,” said Barry Bacha, who directed the PA state tournament at UPB’s Kessel Athletic Complex. “We never, ever thought there was a chance that our Challenger program and Little League could be talked about on national television. A lot of people who came down to our tournament or followed (Hollidaysburg) for the week have continued to do so, and it’s created great local interest.”
That support has stemmed especially from the Bradford Challenger team, which continues to be a source of encouragement for the Tigers.
“The Challenger athletes absolutely enjoyed their new ‘buddies’ on the field with them,” said Erin Bridge, co-founder and coach of Bradford Challenger. “The baseball bond was immediately formed as the Hollidaysburg players helped coach our kids. The support they gave us was incredibly heartwarming.
“They didn’t have to choose to be our ‘buddies,’ you could just feel their hearts were into it 100%. Not because of the love of the game, but the love of who’s playing it, as well.”
Hollidaysburg arrived at Williamsport by bus Saturday, and began to congregate with others in “the grove,” a dormitory complex where each of the 19 teams stay during the World Series. When the Tigers open tournament play Thursday, Calderone will be there to cheer them on from the stands at Howard J. Lamadie Stadium.
“We told (Hollidaysburg), when they got there, we’d be there,” said Jennie Johnson, Calderone’s mother. “It just goes to show you the heart that is still in our kids. They looked past any disabilities that any of these kids had, and they had a great time with them.”
Several other Bradford Challenger families will be in attendance, as well, and many more will likely tune in to cheer on the Tigers from afar. Hollidaysburg, which will now don blue-and-red uniforms reading “Mid-Atlantic,” will open tournament play Thursday against the Southwestern regional champions from Pearland, Texas.
“The kids have quickly been able to meet a bunch of new teams and new kids, and have actually started to speak some new languages,” McGough said. “The kids’ faces, that’s what it’s about. The pure joy and happiness they’re having is a dream come true. They’re getting to live out a dream and they’re excited to do so.”
FIRST PITCH FOR Thursday’s game is scheduled for 7 p.m., and a broadcast will be shown on ESPN2. If Hollidaysburg wins, it will play again Monday evening, while a loss would drop it to the elimination bracket for a Saturday contest.
For now, however, the Tigers will soak in everything that awaits them in Williamsport. They spent Sunday morning in front of television cameras, fulfilling the duties that come with a World Series trip. They’ve also spent time becoming acquainted with their neighbors in the grove, who hail from Takarazuka, Japan.
“It’s a dream come true,” McGough said. “They were sharp and prepared at practice, even after traveling all day. When they get between those white lines, they’re one team together and they’re ready to play. We’ve talked about enjoying the experience, but also, they’re going to put their hearts into practice and preparation, and they’re looking forward to competing.”
Hollidaysbug will seek to channel the “H-Burg magic” that helped it overcome early-tournament losses at states and regionals. As it does so, it will have the support of Calderone and many more new friends from McKean County.
“Carmine is just a happy-go-lucky guy,” Johnson said. “He’s just having a good time with friends. I think we were more excited to see them doing it on ESPN than Carmine was. To him, he’s just rooting for the guys.”
