When I first arrived in Champaign-Urbana in 1989, I was told the local baseball scene would never amount to much.
Boy, was that wrong.
Within the first three years, two Champaign County high school teams (Centennial and Rantoul) reached the state tournament quarterfinals. Never mind that both schools lost. They helped others realize that winning state was possible for area schools.
The baseball history in the city is rich. As Illinois prepares to host its first NCAA regional, there’s plenty more you need to know about C-U baseball.
First family
That would be the Hergeses.