Street left an unforgettable legacy at Conejo Valley Little League

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers BLOND BOMBER- James Street crushed four consecutive home runs during Conejo Valley East's All-Star games against Moorpark last July. I only met James Street once, but it was an introduction I'll never forget.

Last July, Acorn sportswriter Thomas Gase and I were covering the District 13 Little League All-Star Tournament at Colina Middle School in Thousand Oaks.

Gase was working a Saturday afternoon 11- and 12-year-old title game between Moorpark and Conejo Valley East. With his team needing a win to force an elimination game on Monday, Street put the Conejo boys on his back by going 5-for-5 at the plate with three consecutive home runs and eight RBI to cap a wild 15-11 victory.

"This isn't the best game I ever had; I hit four home runs once, but this was the most fun I've ever had in a game," Street said afterward. "I'm a little dazed right now, but I was really just trying to do anything to help the team win."

When Gase told me what had happened, I couldn't wait to get out to the field the following Monday to watch the kid they called the Blond Bomber. Not since I used to sleep in my baseball uniform as a kid had I anticipated a Little League game this much.

So what did Street do in his first at-bat two days later? He crushed a mammoth home run, his fourth round-tripper in a row.

I remember scrambling for my cellphone, frantically trying to text-message Gase and another co-worker.

"He did it!" I wrote. "The kid hit another bomb! Unbelievable!"

Rarely in this business does the hype match the event, but on this day Street was delivering the goods, big time.

Two innings later, Street had an RBI triple down the right-field line to snap his home run streak. After that, Moorpark never pitched to Street again, even walking him with the bases loaded in the sixth inning.

"He's a fabulous baseball player," Conejo East head coach Charlie Shaw said at the time. "He would've hit more if they would have pitched to him."

That day was the only time I saw James Street play baseball.

Since I came to this newspaper a few years ago, I've had the pleasure of interviewing largerthanlife personalities such as Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and John Wooden. I've also witnessed epic CIF title games in both baseball and football.

All of those moments have been thrilling, but none can surpass the pure excitement of watching Street round those bases last July. As far as I'm concerned, it was one of the greatest sports moments in the Conejo Valley during the past several years, if not the greatest.

Like so many in the community, the Acorn Newspapers sends its heartfelt condolences to the Street family. Your son left a legacy that will be remembered forever.