Thursday, August 27, 2009

Canadian girl lauded after Little League heroics: Canwest News ServiceAugust 26, 2009 9:01 PM


Katie Reyes of the Hastings Little League All-Stars.Photograph by: Vancouver Sun files, . VANCOUVER — Forget Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Michelle Wie and Danica Patrick.

For one day, at least, the cyber darling of the sports world was a 13-year-old girl from East Vancouver, B.C.

Katie Reyes made headlines on Tuesday when she hit the game-winning, two-RBI single for Canada in a 14-13 win over Germany at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

“For those folks who didn’t know that girls can play in the Little League World Series, here’s another revelation that might come as bit of a shock. The ladies can win games for their teams, too,” wrote Kevin Kaduk on the Yahoo! Sports blog Big League Stew. “Youth baseball has a new leading lady.”

The story was the most “buzzed” entry on Yahoo! Sports for part of Wednesday afternoon.

Reyes could be found in sports sections and on websites throughout the U.S., including the New York Times and ESPN.com, which posted video of her winning hit.

Reyes, 13, wasn’t the first girl to play in the World Series. Since 1984, 15 girls have taken part, including another this year: Bryn Stonehouse of Saudi Arabia. The two were roommates in Williamsport.

But Little League officials say they can’t recall another girl logging a game-winning hit. Reyes, who also made the final out at first base, was 3-for-4 with three RBI in Tuesday’s game.

Said Reyes: “I was excited. I was shaking.”

Those who know her weren’t surprised by her heroics.

“She’s a hard-working person who always tries her best,” teammate Ryan Wong said.

Interviewed by a Williamsport television station, Canada team host Frank Lupacchino had this to say when asked about how Reyes compares with the boys: “She can beat most of them in arm wrestling, so she intimidates some of them I think. They back away from her.”

Vancouver Sun
© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun http://www.thestarphoenix.com/entertainment/Canadian+girl+lauded+after+Little+League+heroics/1933031/story.html

No comments:

Post a Comment