By Ken "Pe-Pa" Hesselbacher

July 6, 2022: Yes, a young boy gazes out over his “Field of Dreams”.

He is Eric Hesselbacher, age 6, a member of the Eastchester Wolverines, undefeated in league play as of this writing. He is standing behind the fence in centerfield at the pristine Francis X O’Rourke Little League Field in Eastchester, New York. He is watching one of the senior teams practicing as dusk descends upon the field. I think he is dreaming about the day when he will be playing on this beautiful ballpark. I also believe his dreams extend beyond this field.

Someday he will replace his hero, Yankee slugger Aaron Judge, and perform at Yankee Stadium, the “Cathedral of Baseball Immortals” His dad Ed, who turned 40 on June 20th, the day after Father’s Day, came of age during the glorious dynasty Yankee years of Derek, Mariano, Alex. Of course this was a good time to be a Yankee fan and Ed started Eric’s initiation into the Yankee fold about five and a half years ago!

Once upon a time, a long long time ago, his paternal grandfather, “ Pe Pa” gazed upon his “Field of Dreams”. It was not a magnificent stadium like the Francis X O’Rourke Field but rather a simple little converted softball field in bucolic Inwood Hill Park located on the northern tip of Manhattan. It was 1955 and his dream was to one day replace his hero, Gil Hodges of the Brooklyn Dodgers, in the small and friendly confines of Ebetts Field.

During this “Golden Age of Baseball in New York City” the Dodgers were destined to always lose to either the Yankees or the Giants. The Championship season of 1955 was the one exception when “Next Year became This Year!” And then the Dodgers left me for Los Angelos.

I was recently talking with Eric and told him that I understood he would someday sign a contract to play for the Yankees. He should however consider the Dodgers. Eric thought for a moment and said, “How about ten years with the Yankees and then ten years with the Dodgers!” Eric, you are wise beyond your years!