DUNLAP, Ill. (WMBD/WYZZ) — It was a special season for the Dunlap 12U Eagles baseball team in many ways.
The Eagles went 23-12 and played in championships games in four of the five tournaments they entered this summer. The coaches say it was their best season ever.
It was likely their most memorable, too.
The team created and wore special jerseys to honor Shaun Newell, the late father of a teammate. Many of the boys have played youth sports with Newell’s son, Elliott.
“Elliot has been my best friend since kindergarten. When his dad passed (away) we felt like we had to do something special for him,” said Eagles 12U player Declan Feuchter. We came up with this idea for the jerseys.”
The jerseys had a Peoria skyline on the back and on the front included an eagle, the player’s number and the CI Proud logo. Newell was the former station manager at WMBD-TV, who died last September after fighting cancer for about a year.
The team bagged groceries as a fundraiser for the uniforms which they wore all season. They also wore the jerseys on a team trip to watch a St. Louis Cardinals game at Busch Stadium.
“I told people we raised money at Hy-Vee by bagging groceries and we wore them to honor him,” said Eagles 12U player Noah Jeziorczak. “It’s fun to play with friends and stuff but it’s also fun to honor other people and where the jerseys.”
The players say the jerseys gave them opportunities to talk about the Newell family to players and coaches on opposing teams all year.
Said Feuchter: “I told them that my best friend’s dad had passed and we wanted to honor him.”
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