When Little League President and CEO Stephen Keener saw them for the fifth time last year at the Western Regionals, he knew immediately that Williamsport had to have them.

They are Wayne Lallier and Jim Brooks. Around Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino, though, they are the Ice Cream Guys, two goofy fellows who each year reunite in San Bernardino to volunteer at the Little League Western Regional tournament and sell ice cream.

And this year, the out-of-state volunteers will take their act to Williamsport, Pa., as guests of Little League Baseball.

"What I learned about them was that in addition to their wonderful ability to sell ice cream, they're also very dedicated and committed Little League volunteers in their respective communities," Keener said. "That's what impressed me most about them."

Keener's invitation to come and do their act at the Little League World Series was like going from the minors to the majors.

"He has seen us before, and he enjoyed us," Lallier said. "Finally last year, he said to us, `All right, I'll make you a deal: You get there and we'll take care of everything.' We couldn't believe it at the time, but all of a sudden, we realized we're going to the big show."

Lallier and Brooks not only sell ice cream to fans during the 10-day Little League Western Regionals, but they offer the crowd a little entertainment as well. Maybe they'll wear a tux and a top hat, or a rainbow tie-dyed shirt with matching clown hair. Every day they have a new costume, and some days, they will change between the two evening games.

Every year, they bring in a new costume or two, and plan up to a year in advance for their trip to San Bernardino. Some costumes work, and return to the next year's tournament. Some, however, aren't as successful.

"Sometimes they look good on the rack, but don't work to sell ice cream," Brooks said.

Maybe the hat will be too big, or the costume too hot. Their goal: to sell ice cream, and entertain the kids and the volunteers.

"That's what it's all about," Lallier said. "If it wasn't for the kids, we wouldn't be here."

Whatever they wear, they always have their cart, painted with their caricature on the side and decorated with bells that signal their arrival. This year, they have a new cart, designed especially for the World Series. However, you won't see it in San Bernardino -- it is already on its way to Williamsport.

"Hopefully it's there when we get there," Brooks said.

According to West Region Director Mike Legge, between 400 and 450 volunteers work during the Western Regionals. Like the other volunteers on hand for the tournament, Lallier and Brooks donate their time each summer, and have donated their time by selling ice cream for the past five years.

"A lot of people think that this is our business, and it's not," Brooks said. "It's like if we worked in the concessions stand or anywhere else here. We just like to clown around."

In the off-season, Lallier and Brooks are volunteers in their local Little Leagues. Lallier is a manger for a sporting goods store in Phoenix, and Brooks drives a milk truck in North Bend, Wash. Although the two have a combined 42 years with Little League, this is their first trip to the Little League World Series and to Williamsport.

Brooks might have gone this year, whether he was the ice cream man or not. Because of his umpiring experience at the 1994 Western Regionals, Brooks had a chance to be recommended as an umpire at the World Series, which is the most prestigious honor a Little League umpire can receive. However, he had to take his name out of the running this year so that he could go as the ice cream man.

How they get there doesn't matter, as long as they get to do what they love to do and get to know more of their Little League "family."

"This is family," Lallier said. "These people, whether they're cooking on the grill, selling 50-50 tickets or working as the ground crew, they're all family."

Nicole Vargas can be reached by e-mail at nvargas@pe.com or by phone at (909) 782-7594.

Published 8/15/1999