Phil Kaiser was a longtime Longshot who played third base, outfield, and pitched for the class of 2008 team. He embodied much of what being a Longshot is all about and was very well liked by his teammates. Phil went on to play two years for Bradley University before tragically passing away from a previously unknown heart ailment in October 2010.

Each year, one player in the Longshots Senior Division is given the honor of wearing uniform #3 for the season. He is the only player in the entire organization to wear #3.

Who gets the honor of wearing #3?

Does #3 go to the best player?

Phil was one of the best high school players in the Midwest and he was one of the top collegiate pitching prospects from Illinois. He was an amazingly talented player who could not only throw the ball in the 90’s, but could hit it 450 feet, and play any position well. That’s part of it, but that’s not what really made Phil special.

Does #3 go to the hardest working player?

Phil worked very hard to develop the skills that helped make him a great player. If you played catch with Phil, he would almost always throw it a little harder than you were comfortable catching. He pushed his teammates and challenged them to push back. Part of that was work ethic and part of that was competitiveness, but that’s not what really made Phil special.

Does #3 go to the most athletic player?

Phil wasn’t just a great baseball player; he was also a great football and hockey player. Phil was the kind of athlete who excelled at any sport he took up. He was truly an athletic talent, and Phil wanted to be the best at everything he did. But athleticism wasn’t what really made Phil special.

Does #3 go to the best leader?

Phil had lots of leadership qualities. When he played, he never shied away from crunch time. He wanted to pitch against the best opponents in the most critical games when the pressure was greatest. He wanted to come to the plate when the team really needed a hit. In the field, he always wanted the ball hit to him. The way he played was admired by his teammates and opponents, but his leadership wasn’t what really made Phil special.

There was a lot that went into making Phil the type of player who was special enough that he will continue to be an important part of our program for as long as we’re in operation.  The player who is chosen to wear #3 shares the following traits with Phil Kaiser...

1. Loves baseball.
2. Works very hard but balances it with always having fun.
3. Competes fiercely but fairly…he must always maintain sportsmanship.
4. Takes responsibility for his actions, in and out of baseball.
5. Makes his teammates better players.