Another Year.. Another Babe Ruth World Series

The hubby was awarded another chance to umpire at a Babe Ruth World Series. This time in Glen Allen, VA so it was going to be a new state that I get to watch baseball in. Like usual, he drove out and I joined him for the last 2 days of the World Series.

This works out great for several reasons:
1. He gets to bond with the crew before I get there.
2. I don't have to waste all my vacation time watching baseball for 7 days
3. I get to see the games that really count -- the semi-finals and finals
4. We take our time on the way back and make a vacation out of it

The only thing I really miss is the Banquet of Champions -- a more dressy dinner before the World Series starts. There is always a keynote speaker, usually someone from the baseball world. This year it was Richard and Kathy Verlander, the parents of Justin Veralnder -- Major League Pitcher.

Once the games began, it was 4 pool games a day for 5 days. There are 10 teams -- 5 in each pool. Each team gets 1 day off during pool play. Since the umpires work 4 man crews, they work 2-3 games a day. It's fun but grueling 5 days because you're at the ballpark for 12 hours or so a day unless there's rain (and there's always rain). After pool play, the 3 top teams from each pool make it into bracket play where the top team in each pool gets a bye in the quarterfinals. The winner of the quarterfinal finals play the top seeds to determine who plays in the championship game.

Speaking of rain... the 1st game of the quarterfinal was called in the top of the 7th due to rain. They were going to play the rest of game 1, all of game 2 and then the semi-finals on the same day. No big deal, right? Unless the hubby has to be on the bases for Game 2 at 1:00 and you're flight doesn't come in until 12:10. I told him I could Uber it but the UIC said to go pick me up. Good thing I was early.  Instead of missing the quarterfinals completely, I actually got to see Game 2 where Oregon came from behind to beat Glen Allen, VA and put them in Game 1 of the Semi-Finals.

The hubby had the plate for Game 1 of the Semi-Finals -- Oregon and Centreville, VA. Again Oregon came from behind to win and snuck into the finals as they backed into bracket play. It was a good game. Once his game was done, the hubby was done for the day, so we got to watch the last semi-final -- Hawaii vs New Jersey. Hawaii won easily as was expected.

For whatever reason, they decided to the move the championship game from 6:00 PM to 2:00 PM which put a damper on any plans to explore the area but allowed everyone to go out to to dinner afterwards, pack, and get some sleep before having early flights in the morning. Because Oregon was out of pitching for the most part, Hawaii had an easy victory. I was glad Hawaii won but still disappointed that Oregon did not.

It was another good World Series. The hubby made new friends and caught up with old ones. I lost my fitbit on the last day. Glen Allen was a great host with a great facility. As the hubby always said, he will always go as long as they want to keep sending him.