Community Corner

Baseball Showcase Raises Money for Miracle League, Remembers Spenser Nelson

Baseball players from Johnston High School and around Iowa showed off their skills at the Never Say Can't Baseball Showcase July 14. The event was organized in memory of Spenser Nelson.

There was no rivalry, no competition.

Just a gathering of people who loved Spenser Nelson, and love the game of baseball. About 62 high school baseball players from around Iowa showed off their hitting, running and throwing skills at the Never Say Can’t Baseball Showcase, Sunday, July 14.

Mason Whitham, a senior at Valley High School, participated at the event and played baseball with Spenser.

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“I think it’s a really good cause for younger kids to get a chance to show themselves to the coaches,” Whitham said. “It’s a good thing to do in memory of Spenser.”

The Never Say Can’t Baseball Showcase is an event held for freshmen and sophomores in high school to receive feedback on their pitching, running and throwing from college coaches and was established in memory of Spenser, a Johnston High School baseball player who died in 2011. Right before he died he attended a baseball showcase.

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Tammy Nelson, Spenser’s mother, said she was very happy with how the day went.

“We had a good turnout,” Tammy said. “It was a game Spenser loved to play, I just think it’s real fitting to have an event like this and have the kids come out and participate.”

Curt Nelson, Spenser’s father, said the Johnston showcase went extremely well.

“I’m happy with the numbers, extremely happy with the college coaches who have done their job and the high school coaches who came over,” Curt said.

Community Supports Nelson Family

In between the morning and afternoon sessions a picnic, catered by Hy-Vee, and a silent auction were held. The proceeds from the picnic, silent auction and showcase will benefit the Kiwanis Miracle League field in Des Moines.

There were about 100 people volunteering for the event and ten different coaches from across the state and Minnesota who watched the boys’ skills.

“We have a wonderful committee of people who put this together and volunteers just stepped up and we couldn’t have asked for more,” Tammy said.

“We have a great group of volunteers that have done wonderful in this situation,” Curt said. 

Ellen Nelson, who is not related to Spenser, is a friend of his family. Her son played baseball with him. Ellen is a committee member and she helped organize the event. She said since January, bi-weekly meetings were held to plan the event. 

“After Spenser died, we went to his family offering to help lead a fundraiser event in this memory,” Ellen said. “The committee consisted of 17 people who gave up their time to make this event possible.”

Remembering Spenser Nelson

Tracy Johnson, one of the volunteers at the showcase, teaches with Curt and coached Spenser at a youth baseball camp. 

“Maybe deep down Spenser knew we were doing this today and he took care of the weather for us,” Johnson said. “We are very happy with turnout and the weather.”

Volunteer Peter Lashier was a friend of Spenser’s and went to school with him.

“This is the last thing Spenser did,” Lashier said. “There’s nothing I’d rather be doing than being here today.”

Bruce Nelson, Ellen’s husband, said he was very thankful for the support.

“We got great support which is really helpful. It’s nice that Johnston did such a fabulous job in hosting this event. We could not have done it without that kind of support.”

Gary Ross, athletic director for Johnston High School, provided the space for the event.

“It’s a beautiful day,” Ross said. “It’s a lot of people coming forward and coming together. To me that’s sometimes as exciting as the event if anything, to get a bunch of people together on a great cause and really it draws kids, it draws the community and it’s a wonderful thing.”

Baseball players from Johnston, Dowling Catholic, Southeast Polk, Ames, Ankeny, Valley, Cedar Falls, Marshalltown, Dallas Center Grimes and Waukee high schools attended the showcase.

Colton Mills, a sophomore at Johnston High School, participated in the event also.

“It's a great event,” Mills said. “It gets younger guys to get their name out there for college and we get to hang out with the guys from other schools and just have fun.”


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