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Wednesday, August 23, 2006 THE BIGGEST LITTLE LEAGUER IN THE WORLDMove over Shaq, This 13-year-old is still growingBy CHRIS A. COUROGEN From the size of the autograph-seeking crowds gathered around the batting cages at the Little League baseball complex yesterday, you'd have thought a major-league player was taking his cuts. From the size of the guy swinging the bat, you would have been forgiven if you got the same impression. Aaron Durley is no big-leaguer, though. He's just big. Real big. At 6 feet 8 inches and 256 pounds, Aaron, 13, is far and away the biggest player ever in the Little League World Series, league officials said. In the event's 60-year history, he also holds second place. He was 6 feet 5 inches when his Arabian American Little League team made the trip to South Williamsport from Saudi Arabia last year. By comparison, basketball star Shaquille O'Neal of the Miami Heat stands 7 feet 1 inch and 325 pounds, New York Yankees pitcher Randy Johnson is 6 feet 10 inches and 230 pounds, and Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is 6 feet 5 inches and 241 pounds. "I'm five feet tall, but I'm only 4-11 without cleats," said Adam Mascarenhas, Aaron's teammate. "He is like two feet taller than me and he is only three months older than me." Aaron is close to two feet taller than a lot of Little Leaguers. "He is big. Way bigger than the rest of our league," said Matt Mancuso, 11, one of the autograph seekers waiting for Aaron. Mancuso, a shortstop for a Little League team from Old Forge, Lackawanna County, is one of the thousands of Little Leaguers who made the pilgrimage to watch the best 16 teams in the world. The biggest kid in his league stands 5 feet 11 inches. Mancuso shuddered at the thought of standing in the batter's box with Aaron on the pitcher's mound. Aaron is the team's first baseman but pitches occasionally. "I'd get intimidated. He is so big," Mancuso said. "Everybody is always in awe of his size," said James Durley, Aaron's father and the team's manager. "But he is just a kid." "Aaron is probably the gentlest kid I have ever seen. He is so soft-spoken," Arabian American's team uncle, Tom Rachael of South Williamsport, said. Aaron has been the center of attention since his arrival. Kids flock to get autographs and to have their pictures taken with him. He has gotten a lot of media attention, too. Before practice yesterday, he fielded phone calls from television's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and "Late Show with David Letterman." It comes with the territory, Aaron said. When you are 6 feet tall in the third grade, you get used to the attention. "I'm kind of used to it. It is pretty cool," he said. His teammates are used to it, too. "He is just another person, just a lot taller," said Robert Eyvazzadeh, a 5-foot-4-inch left fielder and catcher for the Arabian American team. Aaron's uniform and batting helmet are adult sizes. Otherwise, the only difference in his equipment has been shoes. While Little League sponsor Easton gave the rest of the players a new pair of cleats when they arrived at the World Series, Aaron had to stick with the pair he has worn all season. "Aaron wears a size 19, and the biggest size Easton makes is 14," Rachael said. Aaron's bat, a 32-inch, 23-ounce model, is the biggest Little League approves. In his hand, it looks like a toothpick. League officials said they have checked and rechecked his birth certificate to ensure he meets age rules. In two seasons of league play in Saudi Arabia, Aaron has hit more than 40 home runs. Through last night's 1-0 extra-inning loss to Venezuela, he had yet to hit one out of the stadiums in South Williamsport in the Series, but he had two in the regional qualifying tournament. He had two hits in three times at bat in eight innings last night. Although he won't be getting a pair of special baseball cleats, Aaron will be getting a pair of new basketball sneakers. O'Neal heard Durley's mother mention the shoes story during a television interview and has arranged to ship him a pair. Aaron will put them to good use. When he's not playing baseball, he plays hoops in a men's league with his dad. He could dunk the ball at age 12. His dad figures that basketball, not baseball, is his son's game. Aaron will stay in the U.S. after the Series, moving to Texas, where he will live with his grandparents. There, the eighth-grader plans to play basketball for his school's team. For now, there is some baseball to be played. After last night's defeat, Arabian American is 2-1 and still alive in the tournament. Arabian American has been to the World Series 12 times, but there has never been a team from Saudi Arabia in the championship game. Then again, there has never been a 6-foot-8-inch player in the title game, either. CHRIS A. COUROGEN: 975-9784 or ccourogen@patriot-news.com INFOBOX: AARON DURLEY'S VITALS:
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