WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – The distance from ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn., to the Lamade Stadium press box in Williamsport, Pa., is 272.8 miles, just under a five-hour drive.
Karl Ravech has made that picturesque drive, willingly and happily, more times than he can count.
This marks two decades he’s either reported or called the shots as the play-by-play announcer for one of baseball’s greatest showcases, the Little League World Series.
The ESPN lead play-by-play man for major league games has had as many memorable calls here in Williamsport as he’s had anywhere; the walk-off home runs, the no-hitters, the dominance of Mo’ne Davis, or the incredible international duels between Japan and China Taipei.
“You are sharing this unique experience (with kids and coaches) and 10, 20, 30 years from now, you’re going to be talking about it,” he said.
Alongside analysts Todd Frazier and Jessica Mendoza, Ravech called Salem, N.H.’s All-Stars in their incredible game against “mighty” Hawaii on Wednesday. Salem lost 3-1, but certainly had Hawaii on its heels with bases loaded in the fifth and sixth innings.
“New Hampshire played an unbelievable game,” said Ravech. “If Eassie Miller, the third baseman from Hawaii, isn’t standing right at the base line, that game is tied, regardless of what happened next. The hardest hit ball for New Hampshire all night unfortunately for them landed in the third baseman’s glove and he stepped on the base for the double play to end it. It was a phenomenal game.”
The 59-year-old was a Little League pitcher in Needham, but also played soccer, basketball and tennis. Like everyone else near six decades old, Ravech grew up idolizing Larry Bird and Bobby Orr.
He went on to earn degrees from Ithaca College and Binghamton University and worked at a few smaller news stations before landing at ESPN 30 years ago.
Over his career, he covered the likes of iconic Tiger Woods, while the anchor of hundreds of SportsCenter shows, along with Baseball Tonight. He has worked all three World Series — Little League in Williamsport, College Baseball in Omaha, Neb., and Major League Baseball.
But making that five-hour drive each summer tends to tug on his heart a little bit more than the other big things he has covered.
“It’s just different,” he said. “It’s the joy and it’s the fun. It’s the human element aspect of it all whether it’s mistakes made because they are 11 and 12 year-olds, or the celebrations. All of that stuff I love. I really do love that – just all of that.”
Ravech has told many fascinating stories over the years. He referenced current Staten Island manager Bob Laterza, a manager for 32 years, who back in 2001, watched his team get defeated in the regionals, by a kid pitcher named Danny Almonte.
Almonte captured all of America with his dominance in every game, but it was later learned he was 14 years old.
The controversial stories aside, Ravech said dealing with the Dan DeFrancescos and Jackson Lemires of the world is what makes covering the Little League World Series so special year after year.
“You get to know the kids, the coaches and the managers and they all have a different perspective. That tease that ESPN runs before each game is really telling because the coaches know what this means (to be here),” said Ravech.
“The kids have an idea but they are not 30 and 40-year-olds men, they are 11 and 12 year-olds,” Ravech noted. “When you hear them speak so reverentially about this place, is to let us all know that you’re at the greatest place in this planet to play baseball.”
Twitter: @JamiePote