September 11, 2013 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • Page 5 Ridgewood Coben, Christie inducted into Hall of Excellence within a game of making it to the regional finals. Coben said he never thought he would be on the field in Williamsport. Stephen Keener, the president and chief executive offi- cer of Little League International, introduced Coben and Davie Jane Gilmour, the chairman of the Little League International Board of Directors, introduced Christie. Christie said Little League had taught him that both winning and losing are temporary. Coben had fond memories of Little League, but said the one that would always stay with him was playing catch with his father. Coben and Christie were coached by the governor’s father, Bill Christie, when the two friends played together in the 1970s. Christie comes from a long tine of baseball players and his eldest son, Andrew, is carrying on the tra- dition as a member of Princeton’s varsity team. The gover- nor’s father, Bill, coached Christie and Coben when the two men played together during the 1970s. Ridgewood resident Harlan Coben and Governor Chris Christie were inducted into Little League’s Hall of Excellence. (Photo courtesy of D. Discepolo.) New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and his childhood friend, best-selling author Harlan Coben of Ridgewood, were recently inducted into the Little League Hall of Excel- lence. The induction took place in Williamsport, Pennsyl- vania. Christie and Coben threw out the ceremonial first pitches before the start of the 2013 Little League Baseball World Series Championship game that was being played that day between teams from Chula Vista, California and Tokyo, Japan. Coben, Christie, and their families then watched the game from behind home plate. Christie, a catcher, is the 46 th member of the hall. Coben, a first baseman and outfielder, is the 47th member – but the first novelist to be inducted. Christie, had been hoping to arrive in Williamsport for 40 years. As an 11-year-old, his team from Livingston came