Earlier this year in the first week of May, the Lancers were beginning another season in search of a championship that has eluded them the last eight years. Each year the Lancers have come up short, many times in extra innings in the championship game. Lancer Coach Charlie Burke wanted to win the Men's Over 35 Sunday Championship more than anything.

During the very first week of the softball season this year, Charlie fell ill and was hospitalized. Not wanting to miss the season opener, he dispatched his daughter to the field with a cell phone to call him in the hospital and give an inning-by-inning update. Unfortunately, Charlie passed away a couple of days later, before the Lancers' next game.

Dedicating the rest of the season to Charlie and sporting new uniform shirts commemorating the team's loss on the left sleeve (C.B. 5-9-03), the Lancers proceeded to win Sunday after Sunday, completing the regular season 12-0. The Lancers then entered the playoffs drawing a bye in the first round but found themselves behind early in their first playoff game versus the Sopranos, the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year. The Lancers fought back to win 9-6. The following week the Lancers beat McGeevers 12-4 after falling behind early again.

Entering the best two-out-of-three championship finals against a powerful Dinosaur team, the Lancers once again fell behind in the first game but quickly fought back with a great team effort of strong pitching, fielding and hitting to win 15-7. In the second game and only one victory away from the championship, the Lancers scored in the top of the first and proceeded to score in every inning, winning 18-2, completing a perfect 16-0 season.

Every Lancer knew that Charlie was watching and could hear him yelling with each pitch. The Lancers wanted to win the championship for him. "It was a very special season," team members said. "A most memorable and emotional season. It won't be the same without our leader, our coach and our friend."

This one's for you, Charlie ... you're the best.