“My sole purpose growing up as a kid was playing sports for the Rossford Bulldogs,” said Kornasiewicz.  He credited his father, Joe with encouraging his love for athletics.  “My dad fostered my love for sports from the time I was young.  He saw that I was interested and he was always there, and he always encouraged me.  It helped us develop a really special relationship.  But he encouraged me to play through all the hitting drills, playing catch, and thousands of reps.”

               For Mike, his baseball journey began when he was six-years-old.  He and his sister, Michelle, rode their bikes—him with his ball glove on his bike handles-- across town to Beech Street Park to watch t-ball games.  At that time t-ball was only for seven and eight-year-olds, so Mike wasn’t old enough to play.  One of the teams that evening was short a player, so Walt Devaney, who was in charge of the t-ball league saw him sitting there with his glove and asked if he wanted to play.   Mike said, ‘sure’.  That day things went well enough that Mike was asked to play again.  He wound up being with the team for the rest of the season and even made the all-star team. 

               Still, when asked what he likes about baseball, Kornasiewicz admits with a chuckle, “I loved football more, but I loved all the sports.  We had a group of friends and we were always playing something.”   But when it comes to baseball, Kornasiewicz has a fondness for pitching.   He admits that even today being on the pitcher’s mound was his favorite place to be.  “Being there, on the mound, pitching, was the most comfortable place in my life.  To control the game, I loved the challenge.  I was good at a young age, and I built on it.  Pitching is a place where everything depends on you being good; I always felt that confidence when I was there.”

               His proudest accomplishment at Rossford was being a part of the 1984 team.  “That season was fun,” he said.  “It was a fun team to be on.  We won so many one-run games.  It was a great group to be part of.” 

               His success as a player really started though after the JV season his freshman year.  “I didn’t play as much during ninth grade, so that summer after the season we were going to play a summer game.  One day we had 10 players.  Coach Baumgartner would take us in a van, but that day the van only had room for nine players.  I was the tenth,” he said.  “Coach decided not to take me.”  As he stood there with his glove and wearing his uniform, he watched the van drive away.  “It was then that I decided that that was never going to happen to me again.”

               From that point on, Mike did whatever he could to make sure he was on the field.  He worked hard and earned a starting position as a sophomore in football, and in baseball, he taught himself to play all of the positions.  “I felt like I needed to make myself indispensable.”

               One of his proudest moments as a person came when his son, Nick was experiencing similar circumstances as a lacrosse player at Anthony Wayne.  “Without much prompting, Nick came to the same conclusion, that this wasn’t going to happen to him, and that he was willing to make the commitment necessary to be on the field.  Watching that happen was awesome.  I’ve never been prouder than when he took that attitude.” His son went on to not only be a starter but to earn all-league accolades in lacrosse. 

               It was this kind of attitude that endeared Kornasiewicz to his high school coaches. He played his entire varsity career under Head Coach Jerry Baumgartner, a man whom he credits to this day with instilling him with a love of the game.  “I was fortunate to come through Rossford when I did.  I had the opportunity to play for Coach Baumgartner in baseball and Coach Tom Ferguson in football.”

               He remarked that playing for Coach Bummy was one of the most positive experiences he ever had.  “He created a fun atmosphere in practices and in games.  We also had a good core of guys.  But Coach Baumgartner made my experience better.  I loved him for his attitude and for the way he treated others.”

               Kornasiewicz recalled one particular game against Southview.  Rossford was leading by one in the last inning.  The Cougars had two runners on and one out.  One of Southview’s better hitters was at the plate.  “Coach Baumgartner pulled me from the outfield so that I was all the way in along the third baseline.  I was protecting for a bunt.  I was so close.  All I could think was, ‘If this guy hits this it’s going to decapitate me.’”  As it turned out, the hitter made contact, and as Kornasiewicz recalls, he hit “a rocket that went right into my glove.”  Mike then fired the ball to first base and then it was fired over to second for the double play to end the game.

               For young players, Kornasiewicz has two pieces of advice.  “When you are in the field, know where you are going to go with the ball.  Think about it ahead of time so you can just do it, so you don’t have to think.  Then, when you are hitting visualize what you think success looks like in the situation you are in.  I would sometimes start visualizing that success four batters ahead.  Most of the hits I had, I imagined them happening before I hit it.  But also, at least once a game, swing for the fence.  You never know unless you try it,” he said. 

               After his high school career ended, Mike went to Eastern Michigan University.  His intention was to walk on to their baseball team, but he was still healing from an injury that he suffered his senior year. His plans changed and he chose not to play.   He now works for a local mechanical engineering company and lives in the Anthony Wayne School District.  He also still plays baseball as often as he can. 

               He didn’t touch a baseball for 12 years, but at the age of 30 he started playing for a Roy Hobbs League team called the Rossford Merchants.  After one of those games, he was approached by the manager of another team, the Harry Young Builders, who asked Mike to pitch for them in a game in Akron.  He joined this team and has played with them for the last 25 years.

               “We have won the league every year for the last 25 years,” Mike said.  This team now plays in a 52 and over league and has amassed “a ridiculous” overall record of 575-28 in those 25 years.  Every fall the team travels to Florida to play.  “We’ve played 14 times in the Roy Hobbs World Series; it was an awesome experience and I’ve met so many great people.”  Additionally, he also started playing last summer with another team called the Detroit Tribe and he has begun umpiring high school baseball games as well.  He said he is scheduled to umpire one of Rossford’s games for the upcoming season. “I hope maybe I can be behind the plate for that one,” he commented. 

               With baseball being such a large part of his life, Kornasiewicz feels that the game has taught him plenty.  “It’s taught me patience, for one.  Also, it’s a really hard game.  You fail a lot.  That’s kind of like how life goes.  You have to rebound and move on.  You strike out, you drop the ball, but you have to move on or you’re not going to make it.  It happens in the game and it happens in life.”

Submitted by Michael Krieger