Major leaguers give a clinic

It was a challenge for Louis Gardner to listen, think and swing a baseball bat at the same time.

He was focusing intently on former Detroit Tigers great Ron LeFlore, who was there to give him a quick lesson on some of the fundamentals of hitting.

Gardner's first couple of swings didn't have the fluidity that usually comes when he steps to the plate.

He forgot about his stride during his first swing. His eyes weren't focused on the ball the second time. The bat hit more squarely on the tee rather than the ball.

He was trying to process everything LeFlore told him.

There were hundreds of children Saturday afternoon at Tom Varn Park, so Gardner's time with LeFlore was limited. He had only a couple swings left.

"Open your hips up," LeFlore told him. "Try to hit the ball down ... Throw your hands out to the ball."

Gardner's final swing was smooth. His eyes stayed on the ball sitting atop the tee. His back elbow was up. He turned his hips.

The ball he hit was a solid line drive.

"That's a good swing," LeFlore told him as the 10-year-old walked toward the end of the line.

"It went pretty good," Gardner said sheepishly after his time with LeFlore.

He was there to improve on his batting along with everything else, his mother said.

"He gets to work on some of his techniques," said Dottie Gardner, who drove her son from Tampa to attend Saturday's clinic.

Nine former major leaguers were at the park as part of the program put on by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association.

Mike Walker is a former second-round draft pick of the Cleveland Indians and member of the MLBPAA. He also pitched for the Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs during his 14-year career.

He grew up in Brooksville. It was the fourth year in a row he helped put together the clinic at Tom Varn Park, the same place where he honed his skills playing little league.

"It's a wonderful event," Walker said. "These kids get to be with former major leaguers.

"Growing up here, this community has always been like this," he continued. "Someone is always giving back. I wanted to give back."

Walker is the director of the Brooksville Parks and Recreations Department.

Most of the funding for Saturday's three-hour clinic came from the Hernando County Mining Association.

Local leagues found out about the one-day baseball camp and e-mailed parents and coaches.

The program has grown noticeably during the past few years.

Brooksville is an important stop for the retired players. The city hosts the first clinic of the year. Former major leaguers make appearances in small towns and large cities across the country from February to December.

Chris Torgusen is the vice president of Legends Entertainment Group and has been with the MLBPAA for 17 years.

He said the program has started to take shape more recently, focusing on bringing baseball to smaller communities as well as to the inner cities.

"Our mission is to promote the game of baseball," he said. "We've also got to make sure the kids come out and play."

Clinics also are held in Puerto Rico and London each year, Torgusen said.

The former players Saturday were Bob Forsch, a former St. Louis Cardinal who won 163 games and threw two no-hitters; Richie Scheinblum, a former All-Star switch-hitting outfielder for the Kansas City Royals; Scott Winchester, a former pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds; John Frascatore, former pitcher for the Cardinals and Arizona Diamondbacks and former manager at Nature Coast Technical High School; Lee Tate, a Cardinals infielder in the late 1950s; and Dave LaPoint, a minor league pitching coach who compiled a career 4.02 ERA and won 80 games for nine different teams as a player.

"This is a very good thing," said Roy Crawford, of Webster, who watched as his 10-year-old son fielded ground balls. "He gets his hands on the ball before the season starts and he gets to learn from the best."

Walker said the leagues across Hernando County and beyond have exploded in recent years. Day camps like the one Saturday bring families from across West Central Florida.

The MLBPAA also hosts clinics through the year in Clearwater and Miami.

"He was very excited about this," Dottie Gardner said of her son. "He just loves baseball ... He's been playing since he was like 3."

Gardner, a baseball fan herself who grew up in St. Louis, sat from the bleachers while former Cardinals Forsch, Frascatore, Tate and LaPoint tutored her son on the basics of hitting, fielding, throwing and base running.

Gardner found out about Saturday's clinic via e-mail. She wasn't sure where it came from. She was just glad she was on the right mailing list.

"I'm very happy they're having this," she said.