Just a quick one tonite.  It's late, and I'm fighting a bit of a cold so want to get some rest for the day tomorrow.  Had the Ugandan team again tonite.  In fact I've had both of their games and was "their" umpire on both occasions.  They were in the 3rd base dugout, and I was the 3rd base umpire.  Tonite we just reversed it to the 1st base side.  As such, I was responsible for keeping them in the dugout until the red hat (as the ESPN production folks refer to it) would give me the high sign notifiying me that the cameras were active.  So we had many short conversations thruout both games.  Great kids, great coaching staffs.  A truly and throughly enjoyable time.   Tomorrow, the long awaited plate assignment.  Canada vs. Latin America (Panama).   Game is at noon here, which means 9:00 am back home.  Winner's Bracket game so neither team has lost yet.

On  a side note, don't think I mentioned anything yesterday about our trip to Hershey.  I only had one game yesterday (Friday) so Veronica and I had all day to ourselves so we took a drive down to Hershey (about 2 hours South of Williamsport) to visit the home of Hershey Chocolate.  Took a tour of the factory and got few free samples before dropping a lot more  than "free" in the giftshop.  C'mon, it's chocolate !  Cool little town.  I had been there before and remember the overwhelming smell of chocolate that wafted throughout the entire city.  Unfortunately, the factory wasn't apparently working that day or whatever,  but no smell of chocolate today.  Veronica was a bit disappointed, as was I, but in talking to the locals they said they are shutting down the old factory and the new one doesn't "smell" like the old one does.  Oh  well.  Still have the "Hershey Kisses" covers on all the street lights so looking down the main street of town looks kinda cool.  So from there we took a short jaunt over to Lancaster and the Amish part of PA.  Stopped by an Amish farm house and bought some small trinkets, and as we were leaving we drove past a young Amish man (early 20's) and a small boy riding down the highway in their horse drawn buggy.  Veronica waived to them, and they in turn waved back, which made her day.

That's all for now.  I'll post again after tomorrow's "big game".

Well, guess 3B isn't so sleepy after all.  Lots of action at the hot corner last nite if you had a chance to watch.  Two more games today.  RF line on the noon game (don't forget, that's EST, 3 hours off from PST) and then back for another shot at 1B for the 6:00 game.  All my games so far have been on the International side, have yet to work a US game.  Putting this umpire schedule together has to be a nitemare, so I'm sure I'll move over to that bracket at some point.  No plate game yet either, as we will have only played 12 games after today, which means that 4 of us have yet to work a plate.  Will probably happen tomorrow I'm guessing. 

Today's game are elimination games, which means the losers today are out of the running for the Championship.  They will still have games to play (eveeryone is guaranteed 3 games), but losing today puts you in the Consolation bracket.  No shot at any titlle and I don't think the Consolation games are televised.

Speaking of televised,  anyone else notice anything different about the games so far?  Anybody?  Bonus points for a corrrect answer.  No one?  OK, then I'll tell you.  Here's a hint?   What's missing?   Yep, you got it, no more umpire dancing with the mascot.  Bat got here one year to soon.  Steve Keeener (CEO of LL baseball) made the decision that it was important to "maintain decorum" for the umpires and the possibility that an umpire would be put in a compromising position by dancing with Dugout was something he wanted to avoid.  Tough call to end an inning, then have to go out and do the chicken dance with Dugout...not something he wanted to ever happen.  Hence, stopped.  This year only but may become permanent.  Sorry Bat.

Dave Long and Shari arrived yesterday, just in time to see the Panama / Uganda game.  Was really happy to see them.  To the surprize of no one, we hit the local microbrewery after the game.  Bullfrog Brewery, about 3 blocks from the hotel. Have to keep the local economy going, don't ya know !Uganda, what great kids and coaches.  Don't get me wrong, all the kids are terrific, as are the coaching staffs, but the Ugandan team has definitely stolen the hearts of everyone here.  Have them again tonite on that 6:00 game.

Fighing a bit of a cold right now, but all-in-all, having the time of my life and doing my best to go slow and let it all sink in.  Will post tomorrow's schedule as soon as I get it, which probably won't be till late tonite.

Bye for now.

Ok, first let's get caught up on yesterday.  I mentioned something earlier about a parade.  What I should have said was a PARADE !  O.M.G.  I had no idea.  It was huge! It went on for over 2 miles and was packed on both sides of the street.  Lawn parties, formal parties, lawn chairs, kids, adults, everything in betweeen.  This was the time to rob the Central bank of Williamsport and the surrounding 8 counties because there wasn't anyone who wasn't at this parade, I'm telling you that.  It was an absolute blast!  All the teams were on floats towed by big trucks.  there were cars, marching bands, the whole 9 yards.  And the best part, the really best part, was this. 

They had this really cool fishing boat, that was on a trailer. 

Well, it was for the umpires, but only had room for about 5 of the 16 of us.  So needless to say, we arm wrassled over who got to go in the really cool boat.  Next came the really cool golf cart.  And I mean really cool golf cart.  More arm wrassling.  That left about 9 of us to load up in the back of the really cool Army Truck.   You know, the badass ones thast look like  an overgrown Hummer.

Well, about a mile an a half into the parade, it started to rain.  And I mean really cool rain, LOTS OF IT !  Speed  boaters weren't sure if they over water or under it.  Golf carters, 'bout the same.  And those of us in the bed of the really big truck...WITH THE REALLY BIG TARP COVERING THE BED OF THE TRUCK...dry as a bone.  and LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT !  Had a really nice picnic style lunch before the parade at Penn College, so all in all, a  good day.

Now on to today, Thursday.  Started with ground rules meetings for both fields, Volunteer and Lamade, Now here I've got to add a small side note.  Up until now, this has all been very bitchin', but well within reason.  Nothing totally out of the ordinary, but all really great.  The ground rules meeting.  First time actually stepping onto the fields of Williamsport.  I swear to God I felt like Moonlight Graham in Field of Dreams when my feet hit that dirt.  It was electrifying.  It honest and trully sent shivers up my spine. What an experience.


Opening Cermonies were cool, all the teams, all the colors, and then, finally, the first games.

Left Field line for the Japan / Caribbean game.  My ball repellant worked just fine. No calls except for one routine can-O-corn to the Center Fielder.  One down, hopefully several more to come.

Game off and then came back for a 1B assignment on the Asia-Pacific / Europe game.   One closeish call with the first baseman coming off the bag and then back on again before the runner reached 1B.  That was  cool.  And then had one that I'd like to see again.  Headfirst slide by the batter-runner into 1B.  Or was it?  For those of you who aren't familiar with the LL rule, that's not allowed.  By rule, a head first slide (safety rule) is not allowed and the ball is live, but the runner is declared out.  I saw a head first slide and called the batter-runner out.  Others saw it as maybe a trip / stumble as opposed to a head first slide.  After hearing those comments, from others whom I respect, I'd like to see it again.  Won't change that call, but always want to see what I can learn from plays / calls like that.

Tomorrow, have only one game and it's late.  3B at 5:00 EST.  So I've got some free time, so Veronica and I, with the UIC's permission, or going to take the drive down to Hershey, PA and spend some time at the Chocolate City.  Street lights are topped with hershey Kisses and you can smell the town LONG before you ever get there.  Should be a fun day.  5:00 game will be Latin America vs. the kids from Ugand awho are the Middle East / Africa Champions.

Should get more of my schedule tomorrow nite, so check back later tomorrow for more updates.

OK, here we go.  Time to get down to the meat-n-taters of this show.  My schedule, for the first two days, is as follows :

Thursday, 1:00 - Opening Game, Japan vs. Carribean - Left Field Line.  Televised on ESPN.

Thursday, 5:00 - Europe vs. Asia Pacific - 1B (If someone can tape this one for me, and get it onto a DVD, I'll love  your forever...or at least a really long time).  Televised on ESPN2.

Friday, 5:00 - Latin America vs. EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) - 3B.  Televised on ESPN2.

All of these times are Eastern Standard, which means they are 3 hours later than West Coast Time (i.e. a 5:00 game in Williamsport will be on TV at 2:00 on the West Coast).

Today was full of the admin stuff.  Our umpire meeeting, pictures for our badges, and stuff like that.  Getting ready for the Parade which will take  place in a couple of hours.  Morer on that later tonite.  Getting more and more excited as time moves along.  Can't wait to get onto the field and do what we came here to do...HAVE FUN !  Oh yeah, while we Boys were off at meetings and the like, the Girls had their own bonding experience...at the local Farmer's Market.  As I said earlier, this is a great group of folks, both my fellow umpires as well as their significant others.  Everyone is really meshing well and totally enjoying each other's company.  I feel really blessed to be with these folks, just normal folks.  Makes the whole experience so much more enjoyable.   Well, time to get ready  for the parade.  And then, and then, after the parade...The Bullfrog Micorbrewery, only one block from the Hotel.  You can probably see my grin all the way back home

Wow, what a day !  Started out thinking I was gonna need an Ark to get to Williamsport.  Thunderstorm doesn't even begin to describe the torrent of water that I was in.  I've taken showers and not gotten this wet ! Philadlephia was looking like Atlantis there for awhile, but it finally started to break up and I made it all the way to OZ about 2:30 this afternoon.  Ran into a few of the other guys, and I know it's trite to say it, but these guys are special, and I don't mean special ed.  Funny, friendly, and welcoming.  Not a perceived ego in the bunch.  THIS IS GONNA BE A FUN TWO WEEKS !!!!  About 5:30 or so the last of the 16 rolled into Williamsport and we proceded to spend the next 45 minutes swapping goodies, pins, and life stories. Then off to the Managers / Coaches meeting which was cool seeing all the reps from Uganda, and Mexico, and Aruba and China and Japan, etc.  Makes it real when you see, and hear, some thru interpreters, all  the lcoations that are represented here.  Tomorrow is full of meetings, and field formalities (pictures, identifications, etc.) and then the Parade.  Yep, you read that right.  A 2 1/2 hour parade, in uniform, walking, thru the downtown streets of Williamsport.  We're towards the end I'm told, and we throw candy to the kids.  Don't know, but maybe that will stop them from throwing other things at us if we blow a call.  I'm jst sayin'.  I'm also told that I will get a schedule tomorrow that will cover the first 8 games, which is Thursday and Friday.  I'll make sure that info shows up here tomorrow nite so you can watch if ya want.  Request - No one here provides tapes of the games.  And you can't get them from ESPN either.   Trust me, otheres have tried.  So if  I get a plate or 1st base assignment, maybe someone back home who has  the ability to tape to a DVD can do that for me.  Would be nice to have when I get home.  I realize that I might now get 39 copies of it, but that way at least I'll know that I'll get at least one good copy !

Well, I've made it to Pennsylvania, but only as far as Philadelphia.  Had some dinner (Philly Cheesesteak, what else, DUH!), and it's off tomorrow morning for the three hour drive up to Williamsport.  And yes, it's starting to sink in. The other shoe has dropped so to speak, and it's really starting to dawn on me as to what's going on here. And to be honest, it's really calming. I find myself looking back on the past 35 or so years in Little League and remembering all the people, and places, and experiences along the way.  And one in particular comes rushing to the forefront.  Mid 80's, and I've gone to a LL All Star game with my daughter, Stacey.  Up at the old Ladera field that some of you might remember; the one with all the oil dericks and dirt.  Yeah, that one.  As a lot, if not most, of you know I started umpiring back in '77 because I had too.  If you were a Manager in Westchester LL, and you managed in one Division, you were required to umpire in another. Never really thought that much about being an umpire, just did it.  Had to, oh well, the price of being involved.  But this day, this day, something different happened.  This guy was calling the game, and I was mesmerized, transfixed.  I had never seen anyone umpire like that.  So calm, so COOL!  And I knew.  I just knew, that someday I wanted to be that good.  Watching him in that Marroon umpire shirt (yeah, you read that correctly, MAROOON!) was just the coolest thing I had ever seen.  Didn't have any idea who he was, but I was hooked. Thanks Jerry, from the bottom of my Heart.  And I guess the lesson here is that you just never know how, or when, you have an effect upon others.  I'm just extremely happy that Stacey and I went to that game, that day, because without that, I'm not writing this.

Yeah Bay-Bee !!!

Gettin' close now.