Editor's Note: One year ago, the New York State Little League Championship brought both joy and heartbreak to Mineola. The biggest scandal in youth baseball history ballooned after the Rolando Paulino All Stars left our home town and marched all the way to Williamsport, Pennsylvania. While the headlines pointed to the worst in a children's game, Tom Winters, a local sports fan, attempted to paint the story in a different light. Tom returns one year later with a reprise on the best kept secret in America.

As the summer concludes, baseball is at a crossroads. Major leaguers consider a strike as pennant races heat up. Possible Steroid use dogs the accomplishment of a new entrant to the 600 home run club. Owners of a major metropolitan franchise quibble in a bitter divorce over proper alimony. The commissioner is persecuted for declaring the Mid-Summer Classic a tie. America's pastime? Hardly! But once again, it is the children that give us hope.

My passion for Little League Baseball was developed over an undistinguished five-year career in Floral Park some 30 years ago. It has been rekindled in the growth of my two young sons in the MAA program. And it was brought to a crescendo one weekend last July when four outstanding teams from across New York State invaded Mineola (Mineola American Aug. 8, 2001.) As this year's tournament took place in Albany, I found myself searching the web for results. It was a daunting task. In light of current and past events, maybe no one wanted to talk about it. I will.

We have another dream on the horizon. This year's heroes are from Harlem, not the Bronx. This year's version is not a one man stand. They are a team that has been largely ignored by the media for fear of another adult's miscue. They visited Albany on a mission. They traveled to Bristol with high aspirations but lesser expectations. They travel to Williamsport on the heels of an extra inning wild pitch that spelled victory after an early four run deficit. As the first anniversary of September 11 advances upon us, New York once again has reason to smile. It is, after all, a kid's game.

This year's story only gets better. Harlem's championship game last Tuesday had some special fans in attendance. Yes, busloads of Harlem boosters took the two hour trek up the Merritt Parkway to root on their lads. And five young men joined them - also in uniform. These five young men were members of the 2001 Rolando Paulino team who donned their Mid-Atlantic Champion uniforms despite a title that was stripped from their grasp. I never believed those uniforms would be worn again. What guts it must have taken to wear those jerseys and pants and risk ridicule. It is the memories of playing a game to the best of their abilities regardless of what consequences were beyond their control that they obviously remembered. And think what the vision of those uniforms might have meant to the Harlem nine. Kudos to the kids from the Bronx - they have discovered the real meaning of Little League Baseball and life.

One year removed from our wonderful local spectacle, I will watch ESPN with anticipation to see how far the Harlem boys can advance. I hope that one year we have the luxury of seeing a MAA team take this town on its shoulders to Buffalo, Albany, Long Island or the outer boroughs in a quest for Bristol or Williamsport. After all, this year's Long Island team was none other than last year's Massapequa arch rivals. Anything is possible in Little League Baseball.

I will conclude as I did last year. I wish that everyone have the opportunity to behold the glory of the game that we are all so fortunate to be part of. For me, with nothing but a love for the sport, and the kids, this is something I hold with me for some time. Good friends, great competition and spirit of community. New York should hold their heads high! Let's go, Harlem!

(Tom Winters is a resident of Mineola and a dedicated volunteer for the Mineola Athletic Association.)