What an awesome win for the Charles Town Cannons Tuesday night as they closed out their home field play at Jefferson High’s Sager Field. The team won game two of a three-game series giving them the opportunity to play again Wednesday for the championship!

I had the opportunity to enjoy the game Tuesday to see the pride and excitement as these young men played their last game at their “home away from home” field. In addition, I had the pleasure of offering them a meal afterward a rewarding experience in itself as they are very appreciative of food following a hard fought winning ball game.

These young men head back to their homes around the country by week’s end to prepare for fall baseball at their respective colleges. Some will continue play there, some may move forward into more advanced minor league play and some, like two from last year’s Cannons team, may move up into their dream of playing Major League Baseball.

Whatever happens to these men, and I am sure their “families” here will keep track, we wish them well and we thank them for providing our community with a venue of great baseball, pleasant smiles and an opportunity to welcome them here into our lives even for a brief time.

Before we know it, it will be time for next year’s Cannons to search out “adoptive” families to house them for next summer’s play. In the meantime, our community has an opportunity to step up to the plate, so to speak, and work to support this team and all it has brought to Jefferson County. It is not an easy task to own, operate and fund a team such as the Cannons. Owner Brett Fuller has done a superb job in making this level of play available to these college players but it comes with a price tag. We as a community need to rally around the team and help them raise funds to support the upcoming season of Cannon baseball.

Planning meetings for fundraising events have garnered an upcoming Bicycle Charity Ride to be held Oct. 26 at Summit Point Raceway (another little-known-about treasure in our county). More information will be coming out about joining in that family-friendly event. The Cannons will also step up and take on the spring golf tournament previously held to benefit the J.B. Smith Foundation. Other ideas are taking shape and ideas from the community are welcome. Feel free to let me know if you have a thought on how this ball club can work to continue bringing us such a high level of exciting play to a true baseball community!