Don Jones had dreams of playing in the major leagues. He was a young pitcher with a good arm, and he was beginning to attract the attention of big-time scouts. But the Army had other plans, and Jones ended up in Korea.
Now Jones’s 19-year-old grandson, Kyle, has similar dreams. The 19 year-old
pitcher for the Springfield Rifles says his grandpa has been the greatest inspiration
in his own pursuit of the baseball dream. “He would drive three hours one way
just to watch me pitch,” Kyle Jones says. “I still call him every night after
the game and we go over everything together.”
The Rifles are part of the Central Illinois Collegiate League, an NCAA- and
MLB-sanctioned summer program for undrafted college players. They play teams
in Decatur, Quincy, Danville, Bloomington-Normal, and Bluff City. The league
is meant to give young players experience in a semi-pro environment, while still
placing a premium on honing their skills. These games have a lot to offer fans
as well. The players are hungry, and at $3 a ticket you’ll have money left over
for a $1.50 hot dog (which Jones says are exceptional).
Games in Danville and Quincy draw as many as 1,500 fans, but fewer than 100
spectators usually show up in Springfield. Jones says that he plays to win even
if nobody watches, but he appreciates a packed house. “The crowd makes the atmosphere,”
he says. “They may really get on us when we are the visiting team, but I think
that just makes the guys play even better.”
When they aren’t playing or practicing, the athletes work on maintaining the
field. On a recent hot and humid Monday morning, Kyle and some of his teammates
are painting the outfield wall dark green. After the morning’s work, they’ll
have two hours to get cleaned up and on the bus for a night game in Danville.
Jones, who will be entering his sophomore year at Southern Illinois University
in Edwardsville this fall, says no one in his right mind would do this–especially
when you consider the players are unpaid. The schedule is grueling, and a sunny
95 degrees can make for a long Sunday afternoon. But in spite of the difficulties,
there is a sense of satisfaction apparent in these young men that could only
come from being exactly where they belong.
“You really have to love the game to do this,” Jones says. “I guess it is
all I have ever really wanted to do.”
Play ball
Remaining 2003 schedule for the Springfield Rifles. All home games are played
at Lincoln Land Community College.
July
1 at Danville 6:30
2 Danville 6:30
3 at Quincy 6:30
5 at Quincy 6:30
6 Quincy 1:00
7 at Quincy 6:30
9 All Star Game TBA
11 Bluff City 6:30
12 at Bluff City 7:00
13 Bluff City 1:00
15 at Bluff City 7:00
16 at Twin City (ISU) 6:30
17 Twin City 6:30
18 at Twin City (ISU) 6:30
19 Twin City 1:00
20 at Decatur (2) 1:00
22 Decatur 6:30
24 Decatur 6:30
25 Bluff City 6:30
26 at Quincy 6:30
27 Decatur 1:00
29 at Danville 6:30
CICL tournament July 31 through August 6
This article appears in Jul 3-9, 2003.
