Every day, Steve Washilewski makes sure to look inside the bill of his St. Rita baseball cap.
That’s where he wrote the numbers “219.”
Those were the numbers Stevie Bajenski wore — No. 2 at Mount Carmel and No. 19 with his baseball travel team.
Those numbers carry significant meaning for Washilewski, not only on the baseball field but in how the Kansas recruit lives his life.
“It reminds me to play the game the right way, be humble, keep your mouth shut and have fun playing the game,” Washilewski said. “To do well in school and to be a better person.”
That’s the message Mark Bajenski tries to instill into every player who participates in the Do It Stevie’s Way Tournament.
The tourney is named in honor of Bajenski’s son Stevie, who died in 2009 from complications of open-heart surgery. Stevie was getting ready for his senior year at Mount Carmel when he died.
The sixth edition of the Do It Stevie’s Way Tournament kicks into high gear this week, with quarterfinals on Wednesday and Thursday and semifinals on Friday. The championship is scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday at Standard Bank Field.
It’s great baseball, played at beautiful venues, underlined with a strong message: be happy, be thankful, be respectful, be a team player, hustle, and live each day to its fullest.
The tourney also is a who’s who of some of the area’s top teams, including three-time defending Class 4A state champion Providence and defending 3A state champion Lemont.
“We want the best of both worlds,” Bajenski said. “People who believe in Stevie’s Way and teams that can flat-out play the game.”
A premium is placed on doing it Stevie’s Way.
“Do the little things to make a difference in somebody’s life,” Bajenski said. “It’s about holding a door open for someone. Saying ‘Yes, sir’ or ‘No, sir.’ Don’t take people or places for granted. Be a quality person.”
To make sure that message comes across, Bajenski invites every player from participating teams to the opening ceremony, which took place on April 30. The past two years it was held at Lockport’s auditorium and drew approximately 300 people.
Lockport coach Andy Satunas appreciates what the tournament stands for.
“The competition from top to bottom gives you the opportunity to play state championship quality teams every game,” Satunas said. “However, more important than the competition is having our players learn Stevie’s story and allowing them to carry on his legacy of playing the game the right way — Stevie’s Way.”
Another aspect of doing it Stevie’s Way is to give back. The tournament has awarded more than $100,000 in scholarships to players and organizations.
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Ideally, Bajenski would like to extend the tournament to 16 teams and carve out a five-day period allowing for a true double-elimination format.
If I was a coach of any of our local teams, I would be banging on Bajenski’s door to be involved in this tournament. More than ever, children need to hear his message and have the memories of competing against quality competition.
Life is short. No one knows better than Mark Bajenski.
“We want people in it for the right reasons,” he said. “The message is there. It’s what we learned from Stevie. Things kids need to learn.”
This is the third year of Washilewski, a pitcher, playing in the tourney. The senior left-hander said it’s one of the highlights of his life.
“I think it’s awesome that Mr. Bajenski is doing this,” Washilewski said. “Teaching us how Stevie played the game. To go out in front of a bunch of people in nice venues and play the game the right way is truly something special.”
Twitter @disabato