After the Logan County Little League All-Stars had won the Great Lakes Regional championship on national television Saturday, our family got a call from my father-in-law, who lives in Little Rock, Ark. half of the year.
"Do you all know these guys?" Bob Hooper wanted to know.
"We don't really know the players too well, but we know their families," Clay Turner told his grandfather. "One of them lives across the road on Lindsay Lane, two sets of grandparents live beside us on Dodson Lane, Dad taught five of the parents and worked with three of the grandparents, the catcher's dad is our veterinarian, the mother of another was Lindsay's FCCLA advisor, one player is the nephew of the county agent, an uncle of one player was one of my Babe Ruth coaches, and I played Bees baseball with the brother of the pitcher."
Anyone who has lived in the Land of Logan very long most likely has a connection with one or more of the families of the ten players and two coaches who begin play in the Little League World Series Saturday at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. I personally not only know most of the parents but at least one grandparent of every player.
Some of the 2,234 people who by Saturday morning had joined a Facebook fan group of the team have askedThe LoJo to give a synopsis of who the players are, including family ties. We're going to try, knowing that we'll make mistakes and omissions. We'll make corrections later if they are needed.
In alphabetical order:
Tucker Baldwin:  One of six Olmstead students among the 10, Tuck is the son of Ted and Melissa Knight Baldwin of Dot, both graduates of Logan County High School. He is the grandson of the Ken Knights and of Darrell and Martha Hallman Baldwin. Ken is a successful businessman; Darrell is the former director of Russellville Public Works. The Baldwins have long been involved in sports. One of them, Terry Baldwin, is one of the state's top girls basketball officials, and his daughters, Stephanie Rayno and Brandi Violette, played basketball for LCHS. Brandi has coached basketball at Olmstead. Tuck's brother Aaron was a member of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old All-Stars this summer.
Daniel Beaty:  Daniel, a student at Olmstead where his family has a long history, is the son of Brian and Gretchen Milam. His is the grandson of Danny Beaty, Vicky Chapman and Ricky Milam. His uncle is Logan County ag agent Chris Milam.
Caleb Bruner : He is the son of Chris and Jennifer Bruner. Jenny is the daughter of Mike and Lisa Brady. Mike Brady played for Coach Bob Birdwhistell on the 1971 Lewisburg team which upset Auburn and Adairville to win the district basketball tournament. Caleb is a student at Olmstead School.
Barrett Croslin:  Barrett's dad, Coach Ronnie Croslin, was a multi-sport standout at Russellville High School in the late 70s. His parents, the Ellis Lee Croslins, were great supporters of Panther teams that included him and his twin brothers, Mark and Mike Wilson. Barrett's mom, Kathy Barrett Croslin, is the daughter of Ken and Emily Barrett. A former Western Kentucky University football and baseball player, Ken coached the Panthers to three state football championships. Barrett's brother Matthew was a standout pitcher for RHS, the state champion Bees and an Illinois junior college. His sister Emily was a starter on Logan County's regional semifinalist softball team this spring. His uncle, Keb Barrett, was the quarterback on the first RHS state champions. Barrett Croslin was a member of the RHS junior varsity baseball team this spring.
Zach Denney : A student in the Russellville schools, Zack is the son of Angela and Dale Brooks. His grandparents include Judy Murphy, Jesse Blythe and Don and Sue Brooks. The late Starling Murphy, who was instrumental in the development of little league here, was a grandfather. Zach's uncle, Scott Blythe, was a member of a state championship football team at RHS, and his cousin, Cameron Blythe, was an RHS soccer and tennis player.
Matt Harper:  He is the son of Jeff and Christy Burton Harper, who own Farmers Hardware. Christy was a key player on the first LCHS girls basketball team to go to state in 1989. She coached basketball at Olmstead Middle School where her sons have been students. Jeff has been active in youth league coaching. Matt's brother Ryan has started for the LCHS baseball team the last two seasons as an eighth grader and a freshman. His grandparents, Paul and Wanda Harper, of Olmstead are active fans of the team. His other grandparents, the Burtons, were ardent supporters of Christy's basketball team. That grandmother, now Barbara Durkee, and her husband Steve live in the Northwest and saw Matt play for the first time last week on ESPN. They were scheduled to fly into Pennsylvana Friday night for the World Series.
Joe Holliday:  An Olmstead student, Joe is the son of Phil and Jan Barnes Holliday. His dad had a good sports career at Olmstead High School and has done a lot of coaching over the years. His sister Sara was a starter for the Lady Cougars softball team. His grandfather, Bobby Holliday, was a highly honored basketball player at OHS, and his grandmother, the late Martha Lillian Holliday, was the receptionist for the county superintedent's office. His other grandparents, John Lee and Shirley Barnes, are long-time business and civic leaders in Adairville. An aunt, Gwen Dawson Barnes, was a starter on the last LCHS basketball team to go to state in 1990.
Desmon Quarles:  While Desmon was resting for tonight's game on Friday, his older brother D.J. was scoring a touchdown in the final second of the game to give the Russellville Panthers a chance to win at Franklin-Simpson. He is the RHS quarterback, point guard and third baseman. Desmon is the son of Derrick and Meca Duffey Quarles. The Quarles family has a tradition of sports excellence. His grandfather, the late Larry Duffey, was a star lineman for RHS and was rewarded with a scholarship to play for Western Kentucky University. His grandmother, Brenda Duffey, is a member of the Hines family which produced a number of outstanding South Logan athletes. He is a cousin of Keshia Hines, who was the top reserve on Louisville national runner-up women's basketball team this spring. An uncle, Chris Duffey, played football for RHS.
Jacob Wood:  An eighth grader at Olmstead school, Jacob is the son of Jason and Rhonda Garrett Wood. He is the grandson of John and Betty Garrett and Vera and the late Audley Wood. John previously owned Motor & Electric and Betty is a retired Olmstead teacher. Jacob's uncle, Rick Garrett, is a former youth league coach and his aunt, Melinda Morrison Garrett, is a former member of the LCHS softball coaching staff. He has a younger brother and sister, Blake and Haleigh.
Ian Woodall:  A student at Chandlers school, Ian is the son of Kristi and Dr. David Woodall. David, a veterinarian, played football, baseball and freshman basketball at LCHS. Ian is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Billy Sears and former Logan educators Gary and Aubrietta Woodall. His aunt is Alissa Todd, assistant principal of LCHS. The most physically mature of the all-stars, Ian is as interested in football as he is in baseball.
The LoJo
Support for the team and the families continues both emotionally and financially. Lon Sosh, who was the lead announcer in a radiothon on WRUS Wednesday, announced Friday that over $70,000 had already been banked for the league.
The widespread interest in the team is evidence on Facebook, where messages of support have poured in from all over Kentucky and from most of the states in the union.
A small segment of those wishes Friday night found messages from Tim Menser in South Africa and Nathaniel Jones Jr. In Heidelberg, Germany. Original Cougar Jim Herderhorst is watching closely from China. Former Russellvillian Shelley Denise Dodson now lives in Mineral Point, Wisc. She wrote, "... to see Russellville beat Madison on the front page of the Wisconsin State Journal was amazing!"
Other states in that random sampling included North Carolina, Alabama, New York, Florida, Indiana, Tennessee, Illinois, Washington, Texas, Ohio, Colorado and New Mexico. 
The LoJo
Families and friends have been joining the team in Williamsport, Pa. all week. Some of them drove all night. Jeff Harper said it is at least an 11-hour drive from Russellville.
Friday the team went to opening ceremonies where former major league greats Jim Rice and Mike Mussina were in evidence. Orestes Destrada and Orel Herscheiser are amng the tv analysts. "Our guys are being treated like major leaguers themselves," Manager Kevin Gettings told The LoJo by phone Friday afternoon. "What is really pleasing is that youngsters who have no affiliation with Kentucky are buying Great Lakes jerseys because they like our team."
Logan took batting practice at one of the covered batting cages Friday and worked out on one of the five practice fields.
The players watched part of the first game between New York and Washington and the game between the other two teams in their pool, San Antonio and Peabody, Mass., Friday night.
A former Logan Countian will have conflicting interests in Sunday's game. Valorie Page Rich has lived with her family in San Antonio for 18 years. Her 11-year-old daughter Lexi, who plays basketball and softball,.is friends with some of the players on the McAllister Park team which Logan will play on ABC tomorrow.
The LoJo
ESPN has spent a lot of time with the team preparing for tonight's game. This is the second time this year that ESPN has taken interest in baseball with Logan ties.
This spring former LCHS star Bryan Fuller was the subject of a number of features about his ironman pitching performance in leading Campbellsville University to the NAIA World Series. Jeremy Schapp came to Campbellsville to interview him.
Fuller will be playing for the Great Lakes team in a fall showcase league of players wanting to get a chance to play professional baseball.
He made an all-star team in Nashville this summer after pitching in only five games.
Maybe ESPN will remember the tie-in between Fuller and the Logan County Little League All-Stars this week.