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Called up to Little League

By Bob Putnam
Published August 15, 2007

It's 2 a.m. on Wednesday. Lance Van Auken already is at the Little League field. ¶ The day has not even started and Van Auken's mind is racing. There are schedules that need readjusting, phone calls to make and teams to greet for the start of the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. ¶ Van Auken, 46, a self-described workaholic, juggles many hats as the senior communications executive for Little League Baseball. ¶ That's not all. He wrote the first comprehensive book on Little League, shuttled players to the White House at the request of President Bush for monthly tee ball games on the South Lawn and landed a role as the home plate umpire in John Grisham's independent film on Little League baseball titled Mickey. ¶ Van Auken's passion for Little League baseball started in Pinellas County. He began playing at Cross Bayou in 1967 and has been involved with Little League ever since.

Tell me about your playing days at Cross Bayou.

It was probably typical of most Little Leaguers. Besides school, the biggest part of my life was spent at the field. I was watching my older brothers play or volunteering whenever I could. In the spring and summer, I was there about every day.

You got a call to umpire the Little League World Series in Williamsport in 1992. What was that like?

I can still remember the call. It was such good news. It's different for the umpires. They have to work 10-15 years to get there.

Four years later, you get a call to work in Williamsport. How difficult was the change?

I was the first of my brothers to move out of Pinellas County. It was a big change, but my family likes it here. We get to experience seasons, though driving on icy roads isn't the best thing for a Florida boy.

How did you get involved with writing a book on Little League?

My wife Robin and I wrote the book. It was kind of a labor of love. Penn State wanted to publish a book on Little League history. We spent a year researching it, going through all kinds of archives. But it was a lot of fun.

What are you most proud of during your time at Williamsport?

The most significant thing is the child protection program to spot child sex offenders in their league. We started around 2000 and spent more than a year warning parents.

Would you consider leaving Williamsport, maybe coming back to Pinellas County?

I'm pretty happy here. This really is a dream job.

Bob Putnam can be reached at putnam@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4169.

[Last modified August 15, 2007, 00:14:16]