Thirteen-year-old Zion Spearman has been a baseball star in the making since age 6 when he started watching games. An outfielder for Philadelphia's Taney Dragons, he proved to be a crucial member of the team during the Little League World Series over the summer in South Williamsport, Pa. Despite the best Series performance on the team and all the fame back home, Zion is just a humble sports fanatic who loves to talk Ryan Howard and football (pending parental approval).
How did it feel to play in the Little League World Series?
It felt awesome because that's a once in a lifetime experience and not a lot of people experience that.
What was the atmosphere like during the games?
The atmoshpere was always up. You would never hear the fans 'boo.' They would just applaud you for your hard work.
What was your favorite part of the entire event?
Meeting new teams and experiencing what it's like to be in front of 40,000 people ... and meeting Ryan Howard, my favorite player. We talked about baseball.
Why is he your favorite player?
He hits a lot of home runs and does nice things. He came out to the Little Leage World Series and showed that he cares about us instead of just saying something on the phone. He came out and did it on his own time.
Do you think you and your teammates became closer as a result of the experience?
It felt like we became brothers and sisters, but even though we fought sometimes, we're still family.
Were you aware of all the fame the team was getting back home?
I was not aware at all. All we were doing was just focusing on baseball to achieve the task. [I was only wondering] how friends and family were going to react.
When you saw all the coverage you were getting what was your initial reaction?
"This is crazy."
Do you own a lot of sports paraphernalia?
I have a lot of baseballs in my room, but I mainly have posters of Ryan Howard and Hank Aaron.
What other hobbies do you have?
Football, finally my mom let me! And probably basketball.
How does your family support your passion for playing baseball?
My family supports it everywhere I go. They take me [to games] and they have no complaints about it. They just tell me to keep on trying.
Photo Credit: Cheryl Mobley-Stimpson
