Back to the Ballpark

Twenty years after covering my first NCAA College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium, a return to Omaha's biggest stage brings memories of baseball, family, and the stories that shaped my professional career.



The roar of thousands of fans rising to their feet. The smell of grilled burgers drifting across a parking lot filled with RVs, lawn chairs, and generations of families who traveled hundreds of miles to spend a few days in Omaha celebrating America's pastime.


For me, those sounds and memories aren't just part of the College World Series.


They are part of my story.


Twenty years ago, I was a 19-year-old news photographer and video editor at WOWT Channel 6. While most people were enjoying summer vacation, I was carrying cameras, running cables, editing videotape, and chasing stories around Rosenblatt Stadium.


Those long afternoons and late nights taught me more than just journalism. They taught me how to see people. How to find the stories hidden among the crowds. How to capture moments that would otherwise disappear with the final out.


Back then, Rosenblatt was more than just a baseball stadium. It was a gathering place. A place where strangers became friends.

A place where families created traditions. A place where memories were made.


And for a young journalist like me who dreamed of telling stories for a living, it felt like the center of the universe.


I spent countless hours interviewing fans in Dingerville, the legendary RV village that transformed into a city of its own every June. I covered championship games, fan celebrations, and everything in between.


But one core memory has stayed with me longer than any story I ever filed.


During one of those live shots, as I panned the camera across the crowd gathered outside Rosenblatt, I spotted two familiar faces waving and calling my name. It was my Grandpa Bill and Grandma Bev Buckingham. They rarely missed a College World Series game and loved baseball as much as anyone I've ever known. It wasn't just something they watched. It was something they shared with family, friends, and each other.


At the time, I don't think I fully appreciated what that moment meant.


Today, I do.


Because this June, 20 years later, I received my NCAA media credentials to cover the 2026 Men's College World Series at Charles Schwab Field.


And suddenly, all those memories came rushing back.


The stadium may have changed. The cameras certainly have.


In 2006, I was shooting with equipment that would look ancient by today's standards. Now I'm carrying mirrorless 4K cameras, lightning-fast memory cards, wireless audio systems, and technology that didn't even exist when I first stepped onto the College World Series beat.


But the heart of the work remains the same.


Find the story.

Capture the moment.

Preserve the memory.


This year, I had the privilege of being the official photographer covering the College World Series on behalf of Douglas County and the City of Omaha. My focus was documenting the fans, the traditions, the entertainment, the atmosphere, and the countless moments that make Omaha's relationship with the College World Series unlike anything else in sports.


The photographs I've captured will help tell Omaha's story for years to come. For future generations who may one day look back and ask what made this event so special.


And while I am deeply grateful to the NCAA, Douglas County, and the City of Omaha for this opportunity, I find myself thinking most about two people who won't be sitting there in the stands. At least not the ones we can see.


I miss my grandparents so much.


There are moments in life when you wish you could make one phone call.

Share one piece of news.

Hear one familiar voice.


This is one of those moments.


I'd love to tell them I made it back.

I'm still carrying a camera.

Still chasing stories.

Still finding joy in preserving moments that matter.

Still doing what I love, after all these years.


And if there is a ballpark in heaven, I'm certain they have the best seats in the stadium.


My media credentials may have had my name on them.


But this moment belongs to everyone who helped me get here.


Especially my Grandpa Bill and Grandma Bev.

51 Years of Food, Fellowship and Faith

By Jacob Buckingham • February 22, 2026
For 51 years, the St. Bernadette Men’s Club Pasta Dinner has been more than just a meal — it has been a tradition rooted in community, generosity and fellowship. From behind the camera, I had the privilege of watching it all unfold. Plates piled high with pasta, rich red sauce, hearty meatballs and savory Italian sausage. Families finding their seats. Friends reconnecting over shared tables. Volunteers moving with purpose behind the serving line. The Altar Society’s dessert table filled with homemade treats. Raffle tickets changing hands. The excitement building around the ever-popular meat wheel. But what struck me most wasn’t just the food — it was the quiet choreography happening behind the scenes. From the pasta crew in the kitchen to the food line servers, salad-makers, to-go assemblers, tray assistants, dessert ladies, ticket takers, cashiers, bussers and the table reset crew — there was a rhythm to it all. A steady flow of service. A shared commitment. A visible reminder that parish life doesn’t just happen… it’s built by many hands working together. Behind the shot, I saw more than a dinner. I saw generations serving side by side. I saw pride in tradition. I saw laughter in the kitchen and gratitude at the tables. I saw a community that understands something simple but powerful: food brings people in, but fellowship keeps them connected. Fifty-one years later, this tradition continues because of the people who show up — to cook, to serve, to volunteer and to gather. And from behind the lens, it was an honor to capture it. Watch a video highlight from the 51st Annual St. Bernadette Men's Club Pasta Dinner below!