For the past fourteen years, hours before the drama and excitement of the International and United States championship games unfold inside Lamade Stadium, a hundred yards to the north, Volunteer Stadium is alive with the emotional and inspirational Little League Challenger game. Some have called it the best game at the Series.
During the two weeks of the annual Little League World Series, ESPN cameras have become commonplace, spreading the Little League story around the globe. But on this special occasion, it is the WVIA cameras that bring its viewers heart-warming action on the field.
Fittingly, in ceremonies last month, WVIA was presented a Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award for its team coverage of the 2024 Challenger Game. Among those winning the golden Emmy were local broadcasters Tom Speicher and Ken Sawyer.
“WVIA began broadcasting the Little League Challenger game in 2012, and I’m proud to have been a part of that team,” Speicher stated. “For the first several years, I served as the sideline reporter. When Gary Chrisman stepped aside three years ago, I moved into the color commentator role and partnered with Ken Sawyer.
“It is a wonderful honor to win this. Growing up, I was always a TV junkie and always joked about winning an Emmy. Ironically, Chef Paul and I were nominated twice for the old Penn College series ‘You’re the Chef’ twenty years ago, but we didn’t win. So, it’s been more than twenty years between these nominations, but it is a great honor.
“The excitement of the kids participating means so much; it just lifts you up. The planning leading up to this goes on for months prior, and when they get here, the excitement is like every holiday ten times over for both the kids and their parents.
“It is a wonderful program to present, and the program brings a lot of joy to our viewers because it is such a special event, and it brings a lot of joy to us. Ken and I have a blast doing it, and I hope that comes across in the broadcast.”
Speicher and Sawyer, both longtime veterans of Little League World Series radio broadcasts, share a unique meaning to their work with the Challenger game.
“I got involved three years ago when Gary left, and each year has been a special day for me,” Sawyer added. “Seeing the facial reactions from players, coaches, buddies, and family brings pure joy to them. It’s their moment in the limelight. This game brings us to the joy that baseball has meant to so many.
“I’m honored to be a small part of the team’s day. WVIA does a spectacular job putting the game on the air and focusing on the players. Smiles replace runs because everyone wins.
“The Emmy means our peers think we’re doing an excellent job of capturing these moments in special people’s lives. I thank everyone involved for allowing me to add a smile to people’s lives.”
Speicher, whose day job is a writer/video producer at Penn College, also works the World Series as iHeart Media’s Man in the Crowd.
“Just meeting so many people from all over the world. It is also nice to see the same volunteers who return year after year. Those brief on-air interviews I get to do forge a relationship that are special moments. This year, on the Hawaiian side, I interviewed one family that was enjoying their third trip to the Series. Each one of their sons were on teams that got to play here. The mother remembered me and brought me Hawaiian candy, as she knew I liked that from previous years.
“The World Series has been a highlight and something I enjoy doing with our iHeart broadcasting team. But my job at Penn College has provided rewarding opportunities to gain recognition for students and alumni who deserve acknowledgment for the things they have achieved. I’ve even accompanied our Penn College Culinary student to the Kentucky Derby, and I’ll be going back again next spring.”
Among his varied media assignments, Speicher spent several seasons covering the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings.
“In the early 2000s, I was fortunate enough to win a competition sponsored by the Minneapolis Star Tribune looking for a Viking weekly columnist. The column was received well. The following year, they asked me to do a column on Vikings player alumni features.
“The years I spent with the Vikings gave me tremendous access to things that are one-of-a-kind experiences. I got to spend time at NFL Films, go behind the scenes at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, spend time at Vikings training camp, be in the locker room, and go to NFL games. So I’ve been blessed.
While both Speicher and Sawyer look forward to next year’s WVIA telecast, Speicher has just released his third children’s book.
“I’ve written a series of Children’s books that have been very important to me. My third Waffles book, Waffles Goes to the Beach, just came out. The feedback I’ve been receiving has been encouraging. I heard from a lady who told me her grandchild has the book memorized. The grandparent reads the child the book every night, and when the grandparent tries to paraphrase something, the child corrects her!
While Hershey has M&Ms, WVIA’s S&S team is also award-winning!
