St. John's University Athletics
St. John's Baseball Players Speak at Local School
4/28/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 28, 2005
Thursday, April 28, 2005, Garden City, NY -- St. John's junior baseball players Ken Devenney (Philadelphia, PA) and Rob Delaney (River Vale, NJ) felt like Major Leaguers recently. In uniform, they marched into the Stratford Avenue Elementary School in Garden City and felt the stares of kids in the school.
They were invited to read to the fourth-graders at the school as part of the school's reading program. St. John's second-year pitching Scott Brown spoke to his fiancée, Mary, who teaches at the school and she encouraged them to come to read to class, as athletes from other schools had done recently.
It was an opportunity both players relished. Delaney and Devenney took turns reading to the group of 15 youngsters from the book "Luke Goes to Bat."
"Reading to class was fun because I like children," Devenney said. "They were extremely well-behaved, which made it easier, and they were interested in what Rob and I had to say because we are college baseball players.
"The actual reading part was easy and the book was relevant to our purpose for reading, to keep trying and practice."
For Delaney, the visit was one that reminded him of his days in elementary school. "I like visiting the young kids because it reminds you of what you were like as a little kid," he explained. "When I walked into the school and had all of the little kids looking at me, it reminded me that I was somewhat of a role model to them, just like the people who visited when I was their age.
"They were looking at your every move and asking you about five questions at once."
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The energy of the young kids was something that left an impression on both players. "They have so much energy and are so eager to learn," Devenney said. "Being with these kids reminds me of being with my own younger siblings and it's practice for the children I hope to have some day."
The kids listened intently to the reading of the book, but they were more interested in talking to the student-athletes and finding out what it was like to play college baseball. "The kids were very interested in Rob and I, and the experiences we have on the field," Devenney said. "I was asked questions about robbing home runs and hitting them.
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"I was surprised there were no questions about the book, but at the same time, when you see someone in uniform, it can change the attention. I just wanted to show them that I was their friend and stay on a personal level with them because, in reality, we're not all that much different."
For both players, it was an experience they will never forget, and one they both hope to do again.
"I really had a good time," Delaney said. "We brought some posters and were autographing them for the kids. It was probably something they loved for the day, but it's something that both Ken and I, being older now, will remember for a long time."
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