Little League Ga. District 2: Don's BLOG from the World Series

WOW!!  WOW!!   WOW!!!  What a game today.  I thought SW had it sewn up ging into the top of the 6th.  Only three outs for a victory, leading 5-1.  But as we all know in Little League "It ain't over 'til it's over and the last out is made".   Hawaii came roaring back in the top of the 5th scoring 6 runs as SW seemed to run out of pitching & made some costly errors.  Hawaii 7 SW 5......Hawaii in the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP game.

It will be a lasting memory for me to be able to say I called this game as my last game of the 2008 WS.  20K plus in the stands and on the Hill for this one.  WOW!!  What a feeling and experience this has been,  I do not have any future assignments.  I guess they feel getting three PLATES and finishing up with a game like this one was enough excitement for any one person in this WS.  I will be in attendance for the CHAMPIONSHIP game.

Again I would like to give my heart felt thanks to all that called, emailed & text messaged during this WS. See you all back at the "ranch" as I will return home early Monday evening. 

Be sure and watch the Final as we have another Southern Region Umpire selected to do the PLATE, Mike Baker from Virginia. Good guy and umpire.  Congrats to him as the Southern Region has once again been well represented. 

Today was a scheduled day off, rain day.  But, without any need for any make-ups we had the day off.  But, first thing this morning I received a phone call from Andy Konyar and was informed that I have been assigned the PLATE for the US Championship game on Saturday @ 3:30 PM.  That will be Hawaii vs Louisiana.  Quite an honor and I am really looking forward to the game.  As we all do, I was hoping for the WORLD Championship Plate, but this will do nicely...thank you very much!!

Thanks to everyone that has called and emiled me with their comments and support.  I have heard not only from Local, D2 & State umpires, but from fellow Region instructors & other umpires I have called Regionals with or have met from around the country.   Thanks  Thanks Thanks...... 

Semi Final Day has come and gone.  Mexico beat Venezuela and will play Japan in the International Final.  Then Southwest beat Southeast and will play Hawaii in the US Final.  With those results I still have a chance to be in the Grand Finale.

I got a chance to go into the broadcast booth today and got a picture with Orel & Brent.  Both are real nice guys and let me take several pictures and I gave them each one of my pins.  Orel & I had a going converstion on the tournament and how the teams are doing & what I thought the Final teams would be.  Another great memory.

I have an appointment with ESPN on Friday night @ 6 PM to do a "PROMO" for introductions or something I guess.  Another great memory in the making.

We won't know our next assignments until late Friday night or Saturday morning.  That will be the International & US Championship games.  There is a Challenger game Saturday morn.ing and all 15 of us will be umpring that game.  Sounds like fun.

Things are starting to wind down & I hate to see it come to an end on Sunday.

I had 1st base on both of my games today.  Lots of action, just the way I like it.  That keeps you focused.  Both games were kind of blowouts.  Assignments are now day to day as we are getting closer to the playoffs to the Championships.  Tomorrow I have 3B on the 4 PM game and then LF line on thre 8PM game.

Ordered some pictures today to add to the wall.  Did a little pin trading.  Still can't seem to get the hang of it to be able to get what I what. 

More games to come and I am still hopeful for more plate games.  But, I don't think I will ever be able to beat "3 plate" Knorr. 

Another graet day here in "Wonderland".   I was in the "Replay" booth for the first game of the day.  Nothing had to be reviewed.  In fact the review has yet do be needed for any of the games. 

Then it was "show time".  I had the PLATE for the 3:30 game with Southwest vs Great Lakes.  Boy what a feeling to be behind the plate with a crowd of almost 20,000 in and around the stadium. I had a player "lean" into a pitch vs trying to get out of the way and had to call him back to the batters box as he tried to get a walk ( HBP).  Not today son...back to the box.

The pitcher from the Southwest ended up pitching a "No Hitter". I did not even realize what happened until I got back to the umpire dressing room and was informed what he had done.  Wow !!  Calling a "no hitter" at the Little League WS.

Folks if you have never made the trip to this site, you need to do so as soon as you can.  TV does not do it justice, just ask Carlos.  He made his first trip this year and now I think he is REALLY hooked on getting here and being part of the ultimate assignment for a Little League umpire.

The next set of assignments will be out tomorrow and I hope I get a lot of additonal games.  I will try and post it when I know and can get back to my computer.  I hope a lot of you got the chance to watch some of the games, especially today.

A heart felt thanks  to Jeff Lucas, Devin, Carlos and Jim Knorr for making the trip up here to watch and give me some hometown support.  They all had to leave after today's games and I hope they all have a safe trip home.  "Diego" ( Jeff Colwell) is suppose to be up soon.

Today started out with the make up game from last night:  Mid-Atlantic vs Great lakes @ 10AM.  Then we had the game that almost beat Jim & Ken's record for a 6 inning Little League game.  Wow talk about your human rain delays for pitchers.....on both side no less!!  Almost 3 hours long.  It was Europe (Italy) vs Asia-Pacific (Guam) @1PM.  The last inning was the best of the game.

We ended the day with a good game with Northwest playing Southwest @ 8PM.  Good game with hard throwing pitching on both sides.

Tomorrow is "show time".......my PLATE game is at 3:30PM.  Great Lakes vs Southwest.  I can hardly wait.

Wow !!! What a day.  Started at 8 AM with a meeting at fields to go over ground rules with all umpire and managers/coaches in attendance.

Then we had "Opening Ceremonies" at noon.  Last chance to be "cheered" by the crowds  as we were introduced after all the teams  lined up on the field. :)  We were presented with Little League Participation MEDALS.  Something like OLYMPIC Medals, quite impressive.

Jeff Lucas and Carlos Rodriguez arrived today and caught me before going onto the field for the ceremonies.  It was good to see familiar faces from the local league and some of my fellow umpires make the trip. 

Linda & I then attened the start of the first game of the day...Florida vs South Dakota  10 to 0 Florida in four innings.

Then it was off to get ready for my first game of the day.  Venezuela vs Canada.   While walking to the Umpire room...suprise...Jim Knorr and Debbie arrived to attend the games.  More friends and fellow umpires from home.

Game time>>>>had 3B as  my first assignment.  Had my name and nationality changed when I was announced.  Became FRENCH all of the sudden as Don "Do-z-aire", from Austell, Georgia.  Got to do a little dance with DUGOUT.  I am sure Jeff got it on film.

Had several plays at 3B...quite a busy corner in this game.  Venezuela won 6-1.

Second game scheduled for 8PM...Mid Atlantic vs Great Lakes was rained out and rescheduled for 10AM tomorrow.  That means THREE games tomorrow!!!  6 games total for the WS tomorrow.  Three on each field.  That means at least a 15 hour day tomorrow.  I will have games at 10AM....1PM....& 8PM.

I hope everyone will have a chance a watch part or all of them.  Sun up to dark thirty.

Well I got my first six game assignments today.  There are as follows:

Date            Time             Position        Teams

F-8/15        4 PM               3B            Canada vs Latin America

                   8 PM              RF Line     Mid-Atlantic vs Great Lakes

S-8/16        1 PM               LF Line     Europe vs Asia-Pacific

                   8 PM              2B            Southwest vs Northwest

S-8/17        3:30 PM         PLATE      Great Lakes vs Southwest

M-8/18        12 PM            1B             Northwest vs Mid-Atlantic

Lots of meetings and briefings today.  Group pictures at 4:30 and then the parade  is tonight starting at 7 PM.  More meetings starting at 8 AM tomorrow and then finally the games start at 2 PM.  Many some pic's on next posting.

It has been several days of checking & double checking to see that we have all we need for a two week trip.  I decided to ship my equipment bag to Williamsport instead of taking it on the plane & getting charged an arm & a leg for a 63 lbs bag.  Well at least it has wheels.

 Like everyone else I have been watching the Regional Finals to see what teams will be making the trip and to see how they look.  It should be a great tournament.

Been checking the weather to see how it will be looking while we are there.  80 for high and 60 for lows and no rain maybe until Monday 8/18.

To say we are excited would be an under statement!!  I hope I don't break a leg or something before we get there !  :)  Keep your fingers crossed :)