World Series Committee Continues Progress

With about two months to go, the Lamar World Series Committee is checking off items on their to-do list.  The teams representing the 16U Softball Babe Ruth regional winners will be in Lamar in early August, vying on Citizen’s Field for the championship trophy.  This will be the second occasion in which Lamar has hosted a series event.

Committee members met with John Marrin, Lamar Community College President, and Cheryl Sanchez, VP of Student and Administrative Services, to see about using dorm space for some team members.  Marrin said he’d have to give a tentative, ‘wait and see’ response due to improvements to the heating and cooling upgrades at the Residence Hall this summer.  The college has undertaken a comprehensive repair and replacement project on outdated HVAC equipment throughout many of the buildings at LCC, including the dorms.  Marrin told the committee, “We want to be a part of this project and be good neighbors and do what we can to help.”  Given construction schedules, he said he didn’t want to promise what he couldn’t guarantee for dorm accommodations.  The committee is making arrangements with the LCC Booster Club to seek out local housing for about 25 team members.  Marrin said he wouldn’t have a problem offering the space, but thought it prudent to make alternative arrangements first, and the see how the construction project times out.

The committee decided to use multi-colored wrist bands as passes to the August games and issue stamps for day passes.  A colored band will correspond to the age of the user and be priced accordingly. The bands will feature a generic script that will allow them to be used for any event, not just for Series games.   Rick Akers reported that Citizen’s Field at the Sports Complex will be ready to go, and a number of games will have been played on the field before the Series begins the first week of August.   The three by five foot sponsor banners will remain uniform in size.  Some sponsors had asked to be able to use their own designs, but members felt that would open the door to all shapes and sizes.  Past sponsors can use their banners if they are still in good shape and pay the $250 sponsor fee for this year’s series.  Pat Palmer said he has secured four busses and is looking for four more to transport the teams from the airport to Lamar and back again.  Holly, Lamar and LCC have contributed some of their vehicles.

By Russ Baldwin