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.

Another Year, Another World Series

When the hubby got his letter for the Babe Ruth World Series, I was expecting some place like Iowa or North Dakota…not Massachusetts. My first thought was Massachusetts?? I have to plan a trip home from Massachusetts?? By the time he came home that night, I was much more receptive to Massachusetts but still disappointed we weren’t going to North Dakota.

Like last year, the hubby drove out to the World Series and I joined him for the last 3 days. This year because the drive was farther he left a day early and spent the night near last year’s World Series… and stopped in Cooperstown for pizza.

Before the games actual start, there is the Banquet of Champions. Because the World Series was in Westfield, MA near Springfield, the banquet was held at the Basketball Hall of Fame. Luckily the hubby and I stopped there on our Whirlwind Tour of the East Coast in ’10 otherwise I would have been disappointed that I couldn’t go even though I hate basketball. They closed the Hall of Fame and let the teams have time to visit the Hall of Fame before the banquet.

Instead of the normal 10 teams in the World Series, there were 12 teams for a reason only the baseball Gods of the Northeast Region understand. 5 of the teams were also in Jamestown last year. Because of the 2 extra teams, there were 6 games a day instead of the usual 4. 30 games in 5 days is a lot of games with only 7 umpires. Yes there are usually 12 teams at Regionals but you have 2 diamonds, at least 8-10 umpires, and 3 brackets which is just easier on everyone. There is nothing the hubby could do about it so he just worked a lot of games.

Like the Regionals in Indiana, it was hot, humid, and rainy. Because of the rain on Friday, they had to move a couple of the games to Saturday. I get a text from the hubby saying he barely survived his plate game on Saturday because it was hot and then there was a rain delay. Since he wasn’t at the main field, there was no A/C to sit in during the rain delay so he baked in his plate gear. I was concerned when he said they took him off his next game and he was in the cooling tent because I knew what happened to one of the umpires at Regionals… and I really didn’t want the phone call saying he was being taken to the ER for heat stroke. I felt better when I got his text saying he was eating and going to the bathroom.

By the time I arrived at the World Series, there were only 6 teams left including the four semi-final teams from last year. Because of the threat of rain, they moved the quarter-final games from the evening to the morning so by the time the hubby picked me up in Worchester and got back to Westfield, the first game was already in the 5th inning. The kid threw a no-hitter for xxx and they ended up winning xxx in xxx innings.
The hubby was on the plate for the 2nd game -- Tri-County ME vs. Janesville, WI… a rematch of last year’s Semi-Final. Just like last year, Janesville came out flat and couldn’t hit the same “junk” pitcher from Maine. I was rooting for Janesville, especially since their shirts said “Lean on Me”. It was sad to see them lose after going 4-1 in pool play but that’s baseball… You play poorly, don’t expect to win.

The semi-finals were two good games. Tri-Valley, CA and Tri-County Maine faced off which was a rematch of last year’s championship game. I really was expecting a blow out like last year but it was a
good game. Unfortunately, Tri-Country just couldn’t manage to win the game. The other game was Bismarck, ND vs. Atlantic Shore, NJ. It was another good game. Bismarck ended up winning.

The final game was under the lights – Tri Valley vs. Bismarck. I was rooting Bismarck all the way. They were winning going into the bottom of the 6th when the pitcher from Bismarck got bowled over at the trying to tag the running out coming home. Then the wheels fell of the bus for them. Bismarck put up a good fight but ended up losing 9-6. I really would have loved to see last year’s champion go down.

Once the game was over, the guys packed up their stuff and I watched the awards ceremony for a bit. All the kids get a trophy and the team gets a trophy. Then they do the All World Series defense and offense teams. When all the awards were handed out, they gave a special award to the Babe Ruth Task Force member that was retiring this was his last World Series. For being around 80, he was a great guy. The hubby was with him the last 2 years at World Series and he thinks highly of the hubby. I know he will be missed.

Like always, the Babe Ruth World Series was a great time. The hubby made some more new friends and connections. I got to watch some good baseball. I wonder where and when his next World Series will be. One thing is for certain when and if he gets another one, it will be good baseball and good times.