Media is continuing to make history this summer
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Throughout the summer, Media outdoor restaurants along State Street hold "Dining Under the Stars." A few weeks ago, those patrons rose and applauded as their town's own stars paraded down the street.
The Media Little League all-stars are now Media's main event.
Media captured its first state championship since 1957, its first Mid-Atlantic championship ever and made its Little League World Series debut Wednesday night against Texas. So, break out the bobby socks and the Elvis Presley records because Media is having its biggest party since Dwight Eisenhower was president.
"It's really surreal to think where we're at. The support has been awesome," Media manager Tom Bradley said. "I'm getting anywhere from 80-100 texts from people I haven't talked to in years. Everyone is behind us. The Phillies are coming up (Sunday for the Little League Classic) and the kids can't believe that the guys they follow have been following them."
That drives home the team's accomplishment. When Media, a suburb 15 minutes south of Philadelphia, defeated Washington D.C. on Trevor Skowronek's walk-off home run for the Mid-Atlantic championship, the Phillies flashed a congratulations message on their video board. Media is now not just it's community's team, but also Philadelphia's and its entire state's.
What a run it has been for a group which always has played well, but which had never won a district championship before this summer.
"It's brought the community together in a fantastic way. Too think about these being 12-year olds who are having a great time and it's all these adults that are so excited is really cool," Media Little League president Josh Steinberg said. "It takes so much work to go from district runner up to being in the Little League World Series and it's about the amount of sacrifice and work the players, coaches and parents have done and it's awesome."
Media entered the Series undefeated, an especially impressive achievement considering District 19 is one of the state's deepest and because Pennsylvania is the Mid-Atlantic region's toughest state from which to advance. Aston-Middletown captured last year's 11U Mid-Atlantic regional and edged Media the last two years, but Media avenged those defeats in districts and took off from there, rampaging through a tough state field and entering the Series 14-0.
Media has done all that despite losing standout pitcher/infielder Chase D'Ambrosio to injury. Several other players have experienced injuries but these resilient, determined players keep soldiering on. This is an excellent team, but also a gritty one which has refused to let any situation deter it. No doubt, Media has a little bit of fictional Philadelphia legend Rocky Balboa.
"We've played 14 high-stress games and that's a lot. We're battle-tested and not much bothers these kids," Bradley said. "They're tough kids."
"They never give up," Steinberg said. "Up and down the lineup, they never give away and at-bat. There's no easy outs for them. The coaches do a great job working with them. They have just worked so hard to get here and in this position."
While other 12-year-olds are on vacations, Media's players have literally worked every day since the team formed. Sometimes that included practicing twice a day. That is the way these kids like it.
Bradley found that out on the Fourth of July. He gave the team off that day but the players had other ideas. They gathered at the league's field and held their own practice. Glory comes with a price and Media has happily paid it all summer.
"These are tough, great kids who come from great families," Steinberg said. "They just refuse to back down from anyone."
Media has won in just about every way possible, winning a thriller against Aston Middletown in the district final; rallying in the sixth inning in its Section opener and walking off with the Mid-Atlantic championship against a confident Washington D.C. team. That game highlighted exactly what has brought Media to South Williamsport.
Nothing came easy and the game was scoreless through six innings. Media could have cracked under the pressure but it never did. Austin Crowley and Nolan Gratton kept dealing on the mound, the defense kept making super plays and Rhys Muessig forced Washington D.C's ace from the game with a brilliant 12-pitch walk in the sixth inning. An inning later, there were two outs when Skowronek fell behind 0-2.
And then it happened. Skowronek drilled the next pitch deep and over the right-center field fence. In a flash, Media was going somewhere its community had ever gone before.
"The goal was always to win that series we were in. We went 4-0 in districts and then the goal was to win the Section and we stayed focused on getting one percent better every day and staying focused on that series," Bradley said. "We want them to live in the moment and that's what we've done the whole way. We focused on getting better every day and we kept rolling after districts."
Enjoying the moment is as much a goal as winning right now. Media is in unchartered territory and has left an impact which can never be erased. Bradley's son and assistant coach Tommy Bradley played on Media's 10U team which won the Mid-Atlantic Regional 11 years ago. That was the greatest achievement on Media's wall of champions … until now. This team has earned some bragging rights on their coach.
More important, they have captivated both their community and nearby Philadelphia. They have inspired younger Media baseball players and carved out a special place in league history. This is something they and there league will never forget.
Whatever the future holds, these Media Little Leaguers are the biggest stars in town right now.
"I hope they walk away from this saying, 'I have 12 great friends and we spent the best summer of our lives with and we can talk about it when we're watching the Little League World Series in the future about remember when we played in it," Steinberg said. "The baseball stuff is great but I hope they walk away from this with the memories of knowing we have this bond forever and this summer was the best, doing something that had never before been done."