An inseparable part of America’s culture is the concept of sportsmanship. Americans are raised from their first breath to compete.

Sports, and competition, can bring the best out of people. On the field and between the lines, nobody cares what race, color, creed, or gender you are. Our greatest concern is whether or not you win; next is whether or not the competition was fair, well-matched, and fun.

The whole country is founded on competition. European powers made completing claims on the New World. The essence of both our economic and electoral systems is besting someone else to be successful.

That tradition has boiled down to team sports (with significantly fewer musket balls and hostile takeovers, thankfully), and few places love their sports more than New England.

The Teller won’t overstate it; our love is probably not a unique love. But it certainly is special.

So please allow the Teller to congratulate a few local teams, and the companies that helped support them.

First, congratulations to the Peabody Western All-Stars, who are representing Massachusetts and New England in the Little League World Series. As of press time, the little leaguers haven’t yet played their first game, so we wish them their best. They’re already winners, just by being one of the final sixteen teams in the whole world to reach Williamsport, Pa. Teller staffers competed for the same honor, once upon a time, and we marvel at Peabody’s successes.

The Teller would also like to recognize Eastern Bank, who has donated $10,000 to help cover the travel costs for the families of the players. That money will go a long way, ensuring that everyone can get caught up in the pageantry and majesty of the event, not worrying how the heck to pay for an impromptu trip to Pennsylvania.

We also applaud Eastern Bank for their recent competition for local high school football teams, giving them a chance to appear in an Eastern Bank commercial and earn $5,000 for their schools’ athletic departments.

The Teller already outlined our flag football team’s entry last month; we hoped to win due to our totally sweet eye black mustaches. Runner-ups were originally set to win $500 as a consolation prize; that can buy a lot of eye black.

The Teller didn’t win; we didn’t even finish in the money (probably because we’re not a high school football team). But we’re not even mad.

Everett High School won the competition; they’ll take home the $5,000 and be featured in the commercial. But Eastern Bank found that the competition was so close, it expanded the prizes. Lynn English was awarded $2,500 and Middleboro High received $2,000; both will appear in promotional posters in more than 80 branches across the commonwealth. Tewksbury and Hull High Schools, the other two finalists, both received $1,000 – double the original pay out.

"After reviewing responses to our question, it became clear to our review committee that each team was special in its own way, so we decided it was appropriate to acknowledge everybody’s efforts," said Richard E. Holbrook, chairman and CEO of Eastern Bank. "As a result, I am happy to announce that we will award more than $20,000 to high school athletics departments in eastern Massachusetts.

Well done, Mr. Holbrook and Eastern Bank. The cost of education is steadily rising, and high schools have had to cut back on their athletics programs at an alarming rate. All that money will go a long way.

Finally, we’d like to acknowledge Debbie Blais Real Estate in Middleboro, and their Girls Junior League Softball Team. The girls won their league championship this summer; Debbie Blais Real Estate threw them a pool party, complete with pizza, a sundae bar, personally-inscribed championship t-shirts and individually decorated sugar cookies.

The Teller is positive Debbie Blais Real Estate of Middleboro isn’t the only local real estate, mortgage, or construction company, or community bank that sponsored a little league baseball, softball, soccer, or any other sports team this summer.

Uniforms, equipment, practice space, and officiating cost money; coaching costs time and commitment. So please, accept The Teller’s thanks for promoting youth sports and teaching kids to be active, work together, try hard, practice, and have fun.

Thank you, everyone, from The Teller.