When I arrived at the Morning Sentinel and Kennebec Journal in July 2000, one of the first things I wrote was a “hey, I’m the new guy” column. In it, I referenced Norman Rockwell’s painting, “The Rookie.” Rockwell’s painting features a young player arriving in the Boston Red Sox locker room, eyed by the veterans already in uniform and ready to hit the field.
I wrote that just over 21 years ago. I’m not that rookie anymore. The thing about writing that’s different than baseball, that’s so much better, is the older you get, the better you get. I know so much more about… well, everything, than I did in 2000. A ballplayer 21 years in won’t have the same pop on his fastball. My writing fastball pops better than ever, and I think I have nasty slider to go with it.
That ham-handed metaphor is my way of saying goodbye to the readers of the Morning Sentinel and Kennebec Journal, and thank you.
If you follow me on social media, this is not a surprise. It was announced in late June that I’m moving on to the Portland Press Herald. This is an opportunity to take on some bigger projects and do something new, and I’m looking forward to it. You’ll likely continue to see my work in the Morning Sentinel and Kennebec Journal. I’m staying in the MaineToday Media family. You’ll see me around.
I grew up covering central Maine sports. I met so many great people and made so many friends. You let me into your lives and let me tell your stories. I can’t thank you enough.
One small quibble, though. Nobody ever named anything after me. Big G’s in Winslow has sandwiches named after all sorts of people. The Pointe Afta, also in Winslow, has plenty of menu items named after local sports figures. I know Lazarczyk is a last name that trips off the tongue rather than rolls, but nobody could think of a sandwich that should be called the Trav? Not one drink? Something that sounds good, but once you get it you realize you’ve made a dreadful mistake. Something you can put on the menu as a goof and hope nobody ever orders it.
I digress into silliness.
This job is fun, and a big part of that is the passion the readers have for local sports. Lawrence High School’s Keyes Field on a Friday night in November. Alfond Rink during a Colby-Bowdoin ice hockey game. The Augusta Civic Center during tournament week. Those have been some of my favorite places, and it’s the fans that make them so.
This job has been a blast. I love playing with words and the process of writing a story. The interviews, the research, connecting the pieces into a coherent work is hard work, but it’s also a joy. I learned how to do that here in central Maine. Even when you disagreed with something I wrote, even when I asked a question you didn’t want to answer, you treated me with respect.
I’ve made it a yearly spring tradition to write a column of sports haiku. Some are good. Most are not. The point is, they’re supposed to be fun. If you’ll indulge me, here’s one more.
21 Years
Wow, that went by quick
So many stories were told
So many to tell
That’s it. It’s been a pleasure. Central Maine, thank you.
Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM
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