Lombardi has done it all for Quincy

By JAY N. MILLER
For The Patriot Ledger

The way Dick Lombardi tells it, he had played a couple years of American Legion ball himself, after the usual progression through Little League and Pony League baseball. He’d figured his days on the diamond were over, until the youngest of his two sons began playing Babe Ruth ball in 1989. Lombardi decided he’d go along with his son and see if he could help out.

Mike Lombardi’s Babe Ruth baseball career ended in 1991, but his dad is now going into his 20th year as a primary force in Quincy’s program. Dick Lombardi was a crucial figure in bringing the first Babe Ruth World Series to the City of Presidents in 2003, and again in 2005. He managed the Quincy squad in that second Series, and he’ll be back in the dugout again this year.

“I think the only time they’d had a Babe Ruth World Series anywhere in the state, before us in 2003, was at Falmouth in about ‘91,” Lombardi said. “But that year they got hit by a hurricane, which washed out a lot of the tournament, so it was not very successful. We decided several years before ’03 that we wanted to try and bring a World Series here because Adams Field is a terrific place to play and our area has a lot to offer,” said Lombardi, who spearheaded the idea with Peter Williams. “We asked the national board in New Jersey about hosting one here way back in about 2000.”

“I think myself and Peter Williams thought of the idea at the same time, and began studying the regulations and such. We studied the requirements and sent a proposal in, and got a good recommendation in return.”
 “They were so thrilled to be up here the first time, they gave us the Series again two years later,” Lombardi said. “We took some time off after 2005, simply because everybody involved had been working so hard at preparation, for four or five years straight at that point. Everybody who works for us is a volunteer, and they all did great jobs, from ticket takers to concessions to the Park Department. We got a lot of support from the city. You can’t credit any one person, because it truly is a collaborative effort involving so many people.”

“There were a few letters to the editor complaining about all the municipal money spent on the last two Series,” Lombardi noted. “But the truth is that we pay for all the police details, the Park Dept. overtime, and everything else. The city doesn’t have to provide any extra money, and that’s the way it should be. But we have also always had super support from the city.”

“Dick Lombardi has dedicated his life to this,” said John Norton, vice president of the Quincy Babe Ruth World Series Committee. “The thing that stands out about Dick is that he is all about the kids. He’s not just interested in bringing good baseball here or coaching our kids to play good baseball, but in teaching them to be good teammates.

“If there’s one quality that stands out about Dick Lombardi it is that he keeps emphasizing this program is not just about baseball. The bigger picture is working well with others, respecting the game, respecting authority, respecting yourself and making good decisions.”

Norton and Lombardi points out that the national organization loves the Quincy community and the many non-baseball activities it offers.

“National Babe Ruth loves the facility and the way the city administration helps out,” said Norton. “But they also love the things our site has for the people besides baseball. We’ve just heard from the Nederland, Texas, team – the Southwest representative – that they can’t wait to get here and see the Adams homestead, because they’ve all seen the HBO program on John Adams.

“We have sent every team a promotional packet about Quincy and this area, including a DVD of places to go and restaurant coupons. We’ve had meetings with Mark Geary from Quincy Tourism and Chris Walker from the Mayor’s office, and we’re making sure that every family that comes to this tournament will get a similar promotional package, and be able to really enjoy their stay.”

Lombardi’s work also includes managing this year’s host team, just as he did the 2005 Quincy edition, which earned the first-ever Quincy win in a World Series tournament. Lombardi and his two coaches will select the 15 players, and the team is certain of having at least four games within pool play.

“We’ll probably have seven pitchers among those 15,” said Lombardi. “With four games in a short stretch, we’ll be hoping for a couple complete games in there, which would make it a lot easier. But our main concern is making sure the kids don’t hurt their arms, so we’ll have them all on pitch counts. I try to have my kids stay away from curveballs, and not throw changeups at all. But once they’re out of the field, it can be hard to tell them not to do anything.

“We’ll be playing teams with as good a 14-year old players as you find anywhere in the country,” Lombardi noted. “I tell our kids we want to be competitive–just be competitive and give 100 percent, and don’t wait. We tell them they don’t to be sitting somewhere five or ten years from now telling people what they could’ve done, or if I did this or that; do it now!”

Lombardi also relishes the lasting relationships that come out of these tournaments. He’s still in touch with people from the 2005 champions from Jefferson Parish, La., who had to fly home via Dallas, because Hurricane Katrina had devastated their home region. Still, the friendships and rivalries are something to cherish through the years.

“How many people do you know who ever played in a World Series at any level?” Lombardi asked. “We want these kids to go out there and just soak it all up. People who have housed players and families are still in touch with them, and that’s a great byproduct. You may have a kid from Oregon and a kid from Quincy, but playing in that World Series is something they’ll always have in common. You may stay in touch with them, or may not see them for years, but competing in a World Series is something you’ll always have that bonds you in a special way.”