GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN—Conejo Valley Little League All-Stars manager Charlie Shaw, left, looks on as members of his 2007 championship team present a tribute to teammate James Street, who died in a skateboard accident in July 2007. Former Conejo Valley All-Stars Eric Green, Tommy Lopez, Ricky Sheehan, Michael Shaw, Tyler Chaney, Dylan Francis, Brandon Fisher, Lucas Steagall, Landon Poling, Danny McLaughlin, Jeffrey Pemberton, Daniel Gober and Spencer Korey recited a poem before planting a red sunset maple tree beyond the left-field fence at Dover-Hendrix Field at Conejo Community Park. ROBERT ROLL/Acorn Newspapers They called James Street the Blond Bomber.

He once hit four home runs in four at-bats, including three in one all-star game. His next two at-bats, he was intentionally walked, including once with the bases loaded.

He talked about putting on America’s most famous pinstripes and suiting up for the New York Yankees—and he was serious.

James Street He dreamed about replacing Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter when Jeter retired.

He smacked the ball the very first time he picked up a plastic yellow bat, a gift from a family friend when he was 2.

He wanted to play every sport ever invented at least once.

He always had a smile on his face, and he loved hanging out with the other boys on the team.

He excelled in school and made friends easily.

Street brought joy into the world. He still does.

“My biggest fear is we’ll be the only ones who’ll remember him,” said his mother, Anne Street. “Everyone looks at me and says, ‘You’re crazy. Nobody will ever forget James.’ Once you’ve met James, you could never forget him.”

Street made an indelible impression on the Thousand Oaks community before he died at age 13 from a skateboarding accident on July 4, 2007.

He was honored Sunday during a tree-planting ceremony at the Dover-Hendrix Field at Conejo Community Park.

A red sunset maple tree was planted near the scoreboard. His former coaches and Thousand Oaks Tigers teammates read poems and shared their favorite anecdotes about Street. There was a barbecue. His favorite phrase— “Baseball: It’s the only game there is”—was painted in the dugout.

“It was the perfect day to celebrate a terrific boy,” said Terri Chaney, who helped organize the event. “He was loved by very, very many people.”

The Conejo Valley Rattlers will host the first James David Street Classic youth baseball tournament this weekend. Twentytwo teams will play games at Dover Hendrix, Fiore and Waverly fields in Thousand Oaks.

For more information on tournament games and locations, visit www.conejovalleyrattlers.com.

A portion of the proceeds will go to the James David Street Scholarship Fund.

The scholarship is for graduating seniors who played or umpired at least five years for Conejo Valley Little League. Candidates submit a 500-word essay and complete a written and oral examination. Seven students are receiving the award this year, Chaney said.

Street’s legacy lives strong with his family, coaches and teammates.

Former teammates write Street’s initials and jersey number, “JDS No. 2,” under the bills of their caps.

Jeff Francis coached Street during his last year playing baseball. Street was the first player selected in the entire Conejo Valley Little League Juniors draft. His team? The Yankees, of course.

“He was a kid, at 12, who had so much vision,” Francis said. “No matter what he set out to do, he was going to do it.

“Not only was he a great baseball player, he was just a great kid.”

Francis’ son Dylan and Street became close friends, playing together on the diamond, hanging out at Zuma Beach or eating dinner at each other’s homes.

Chaney’s son Tyler also played baseball with Street. Her daughter Danika is close friends with Street’s sister Jordan, who is 12.

“There are so many memories of James,” Chaney said. “He had such a wonderful presence. He had a love of life. He was always smiling. He just made everyone around him feel better.”

Anne Street said the community’s support has helped her family, including her husband, Andy, continue going strong.

“James loved them all. He really did,” Anne Street said. “They were all very important to him. He was very good at baseball. That was his passion. I believe it really helped him to focus at school.

“If he put his mind to something, he would do it. He was very focused. I believe baseball did that for him. I would just like all the boys and girls to get the same joy from the game that he got from it.”