Shane Victorino received little notice for the seven years he struggled in baseball's minor leagues, but he was at center stage in helping lead the Philadelphia Phillies to their first world championship since 1980. The former four-sport Maui all-star at St. Anthony High School has captured the attention of the baseball world, with Hawaii baseball fans leading the cheer.

After batting .293 in the regular season, the Phillies centerfielder set a franchise record 13 runs batted in the post-season. Most memorable were a grand slam homer against the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League division series, a two-run homer against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the league title series and several spectacular catches in the outfield.

In the World Series finale, Victorino gave the Phillies the lead with a two-run single in the first inning and - after a two-day rain delay - put what turned out to be the championship run on third base with a well-placed ground ball on the opposite side of the infield.

Those on Maui who know Victorino aren't surprised. His tenacity and speed on the base paths and in the outfield have resulted in turning numerous infield grounders into base hits, ergo his “;Flyin' Hawaiian”; moniker by Phillies fans. “;It's not hard to run out a ground ball,”; he explains. “;It's not hard to chase a fly ball. I love to hustle. I love the excitement.”;

With that enthusiasm, Victorino can be expected to remain a top attraction in the world of baseball for many years, recalling the days of Kaiser High's Sid Fernandez pitching for the New York Mets when Victorino was in elementary school.