Belgium’s King relishes chance to play in Series Competitor was spectator at 2005 tourney

BANGOR – For a baseball-crazy 15-year-old visiting relatives in the Bangor area, there probably isn’t a better activity this time of year than the Senior League World Series.

Last summer, while visiting his aunt and uncle in Orono, Vincent King did attend many of the World Series games.

King has returned to the area this summer and has already spent a day at Mansfield Stadium. But this time, King isn’t a spectator.

This time, he’s playing.

King, a pitcher-third baseman for the Waterloo Little League team from Brussels, Belgium, that represents the Europe-Middle East-Africa region, is excited to be back.

Roger King and Laurie Hicks, who are both University of Maine professors, hosted their nephew last summer and took him to most of the World Series games, including the final.

“[Watching the games] got me excited,” he said before the team’s opening game, a 10-2 loss to the U.S. East team from Bloomfield, N.J. “I went back to Belgium and told the others that the World Series was in Bangor and that it was really great. Ever since then I wanted to come over.”

Vincent King is related to his Orono relatives through Roger King, who was his father’s brother.

Vincent King’s father died of cancer several years ago.

King, who was born in Belgium, lives in the Brussels with his mother, Levke, and sister, Esther. His mother is a translator, as was his father. In addition to unaccented English, King also speaks French, German and is learning Spanish in school.

King said his aunt and uncle followed the Waterloo team as it won the regional.

“They’re the ones who wanted me to come over here to watch me play,” King said. “It’s kind of nice to have them here.”

The lanky King, who looks to be about 6-foot-2 – although he’s not sure exactly what his 1-meter, 90-centimeters translates to in feet – also played tennis and basketball.

Baseball is his favorite sport, however. He also plays on an under-18 Belgian national team made up of players from all over the country. That team won the European Cup in two weeks ago, he added.

King’s return to Bangor brought back memories of last year’s final between a U.S. Central team from Urbandale, Iowa, and a U.S. West squad from Pearl City, Hawaii, that, like King, is back at the World Series this year.

“They look pretty good,” he said. “I’m starting to recognize some of the players, which is fun.”