The Teams are in Town and Raring to Go!

Photos by Russ Baldwin

By this Friday morning, the last two teams for the Babe Ruth 16U Softball World Series should be in Lamar, briefed, rested and ready for the games on Saturday.

The North Olympic, Washington team arrives Friday morning, along with the team from Lodi, California. Both these teams have busy schedules, as they play each other in the opening game on Saturday at 11:30am and North Olympic plays the Lamar All Stars that evening at approximately 8:30pm. As each team and coaches arrive, they receive a briefing from the World Series Committee at the Lamar Community Building and then check in to their motels. Those teams that have arrived in the late evening hours can do their briefings the next morning. Some free time has been allotted, so families can regroup, do some sightseeing and enjoy the BBQ picnic at the Willow Creek Park on Friday afternoon, plus team members have the opportunity to enjoy a free dip in the municipal pool.

Practice times have been set aside for all the teams on various fields, with the exception of Citizen’s Field which will be used exclusively for the Series games. Norm Travis and David Hargrove, members of the Series Task Force visiting Lamar, stressed the need for all the games to run as scheduled during the wrap up Series Committee meeting this past Wednesday, August 3. They emphasized that any delay from the first game on, will multiply through the remaining games and cause all the others to run late; although there isn’t much that can be done due to any weather delays or extra inning games.

Opening ceremonies will precede the pool play this Saturday. Ceremonies will start at 9am. Mayor Roger Stagner will be one of two persons tossing out the first pitch of the games. One person is scheduled to throw out the pitch to the Lodi team and another to North Olympic. Series tickets are on sale at PCDI offices downtown Lamar, as well as tickets for the Banquet of Champions, Friday evening at the LCC Wellness Center.

By Russ Baldwin