ROCHELLE — Jim Boulton is known for being a fan of Rochelle Little League, but this year he is also known for awarding trophies to the players.

He can be seen on the sidelines of every Majors game, which is where he has been for eight years. This year along with being in charge of the scoreboard, Boulton has his clipboard and pencil, tallying homeruns and plays. After nearly every game Boulton awards a trophy to a deserving player.

When asked why he does it, Boulton has a couple reasons. He also reflected on his moment of fame last year when the players awarded him a trophy for “Most Valuable Fan.”

“When they gave me that trophy I cried. I couldn’t even thank them,” Boulton said. “Why do I do this? Because I want to. I want to give a little incentive for the kids.”

Boulton flips the pages fastened to the clipboard to indicate how he has been keeping track of the plays, whether it was for superb pitching, leadership, or an exciting game. He also notes why he game someone a trophy.

Boulton reflected on his years of fandom, noting this year’s graduating Rochelle Township High School seniors were only 11 year olds when he first came on the scene.

When he’s not at the Little League field, Boulton keeps busy playing bridge or cutting the grass at Steward Church. He’s also a member of the Rochelle Garden Club. He admits he is also known as the No. 1 wrestling fan at RTHS, well known by all of the coaches and players.

Either way, Boulton enjoys being on the sidelines.

“I root for everybody, all 72 kids. Overall I think these boys will go quite a ways this year,” Boulton said. “My goal is to see them win a World Series.”