Children are Mark, 14, who plays shortstop for ILLAM, and Alexandra, 17, a catcher for ILLAM’s softball team. Alexandra was chaperoned by her dad, Basil Ong, a businessman, in taking part in the Big League Softball World Series tournament in Kalamazoo, Michigan where they did not fare as well with the boys, who placed second for the Junior World Series title, also last week.

As a human face for soccer moms, Kathy reluctantly accepted the challenge of managing the baseball team composed of 13-and 14-years olds.

And if the success of the 2007 ILLAM team is any indication, it is a safe bet to say that Kathy’s management ability has been second to none.

When asked before the championship game if she will continue to manage the team, Kathy said, ‘I really don’t know." She has been holding such position for the last three years. “I will keep this position at the pleasure of the other parents of the team. If they want me to hold on, I will. If not, I will be glad to give it up to somebody else."

She is only the second female manager to ever reach the finals.

When asked if she was able to verify if the members of her team are really “13- and 14-years olds and are really all residents of Metro Manila," she empathically answered “yes.”

To make sure that her answer was validated, she asked me to talk to another parent, Alberto “Abet” Catangui, who confirmed that other parents made sure that their children in the team really belong to the required age group and residency.

I told Ms. Tanco-Ong and Mr. Catangui that I needed to pose the questions because in case they won the Junior World Series title, the team members are going to be placed under a microscope.

I reminded them that in 1992, after the Philippine Little League, representing Zamboanga City, won the 11- and 12-year old Little League World Series championship in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, critics, who could not believe a team from far-away Zamboanga could win it all, cast doubts on the talents of the players by questioning their ages and residency qualifications.

Unfortunately, the criticisms checked out, causing a national embarrassment after investigation showed that some players in the Zamboanga team were overage and were non-residents of Zamboanga.

This caused the organizers of Little League to withdraw the World Series award from Zamboanga team and awarded it instead to runner-up Long Beach, California team.

A disturbing information from that international scandal was that leaders of the Zamboaga team allegedly conspired in altering the ages and the residencies of the players.

Learning a costly lesson from the Zamboanga debacle, which I believe is part of growing pains, the parents of this ILLAM team made every effort to follow the rules of the game by enlisting only players who meet the age and residency requirements.

By succeeding in the tournament without employing short cuts, the returning champs deserve the gratitude of a proud nation.

For those who missed the championship game, it is going to be replayed on ESPN 2 at 2 p.m., EST, Wednesday Aug. 29.

This phenomenal win should give an opportunity for this American pastime to have a natural place in the hearts of vertically-challenged Filipino fans who worship a strange game of basketball, which calls for extra tall players.

If the untrained daughter of the late Agriculture Secretary Arturo ‘Bong’ Tanco teased us for nearly winning the Junior World Series title, just imagine what a former baseball player or a trained coach can do?

For now, let’s celebrate and give Ms. Tanco-Ong and her young players high fives for putting the Philippines on the baseball map.

(lariosa_jos@sbcglobal.net)