2009 EMEA Junior Baseball Tournament

Tournament Ends - It is more than Baseball

Well the regional tournament has come to an end. The Italian team prevailed over the Americans from Germany 6 - 5. The Italians rushed the field with the final out and several were seen on their cell phones obviously calling home. The Americans from Germany were disappointed but a few errors and base running mistakes took them out of the game. My game, the Consolation game was delayed for an hour by rain and finally ended with the Lithuanian team out lasting Belarus. All week the team from The Netherlands showed that while they were not competitive on the field, they had fun despite of their losses. I enjoyed meeting them and sharing pins, but I really wanted a Dutch shirt. On the last day, they offered me one of their ponchos that had kept them dry that day. With the last out, the umpires retired to start packing their gear to head home or visit Poland. A few of us gave our equipment and some uniforms to the eastern European umpires who really need it. I gave my chest protector and leg guards to one umpire who was going to give it to his father so they could umpire together; I gave my mask to one of the umpires, his mask was so heavy it would give him headache. They have no ability to purchase equipment here. Tami and I left Kutno on .Monday and headed to Krakow on vacation. More on this later. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

What umpires during a rain delay

The Championship game was played early due to threatening weather. Italy beat the Germans (Americans). Ten pitches into the Consolation game between Belarus and Lithuania the skies opened. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Living quarters

Tami here again. We are in a rain delay, so while the umpires watch the tape of the home run derby I thought I would show where Don has been living this past week. The dorm houses up to about 12 but they only have about 7. The blankets hanging down are to reduce the noise. Apparently one of the Umps is quite amazing. They have someone who cleans the common areas and does their laundry every day and brings it back later in the day. I will say that this was cleaner than any dorm room I have seen. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

A Day of Games Followed by Lightning, Thunder, Wind and Rain!

The Semi Final games were completed on Saturday under cloudy skies with warm and humid weather.  Italy defeated Lithuania and Germany (Americans) defeated Belarus to set up Sunday's final.  These games were played under the same kind of conditions we have had all week - light winds, warm temperatures, and high humidity.  Late in the afternoon as the umpires rested and the team's were enjoying recreation outside the dorms, thunder was heard in the distance and soon the skies opened to a strong hail storm.  Rain continued off and on into the evening.  We will have to see what happens on Sunday with the weather......

Baseball - Its a Kid's Game

We often forget with all of the publicity for professional sports, and even the focus that is given to the Little League World Series, that baseball is really just a game.  Many of us played a game of baseball as children that was simple, with rules we made up, and no equipment except some sort of ball, bat and glove.  Its the same this week here in Kutno.  Take a look at this photo - a group of young boys from different countries are playing baseball.  What is different?  The pitcher is throwing something like a tennis ball, the batter is using a water bottle for a bat, home plate is just a folded up cloth, first base is the light pole, second is the trash can and third base is the bush. 

Guest poster here,Tami, Don's wife! I arrived last night to join the fun. Went to dinner with a bunch of the umpired. Pretty fun, only a FEW rules and calls discussions. At one point we tried to pull the manual up on my blackberry but the document was to big. The other excitement was comparing the two types of dumplings. We decided the fried ones were the best. I am waiting for the semi final round to start. Lithuania and italy. Don has first. I went to the umpire room right before and snapped this picture of the crew (aren't you impressed with my knowledge of the lingo?) . The other picture is of the display in the lobby of my hotel. And when they say single room they mean single, I think bed is smaller than the bunks in the umpires room. Ok time to pay attention Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Do you need water?

Everyday this young boy is here getting water for the umpires and tracking down foul balls.  Ice cold water is always there just for us.  Here he is enjoying an ice cream.

Who are the Umpires at this tournament?

The 12 umpires at this tournament come from all over the world.  We have 7 from California - two from CA District 31 which is in San Diego area, two from CA District 57 which is San Ramon/Danville, one from CA District 44 which is the Santa Clara Valley, and two from CA District 4.  Our UIC is from Houston, TX area. We have two umpires from Lithuania, one from Warsaw, Poland, and one from Earth who lives in The Netherlands.  But where they live is only part of the story.  A few of us are here for the first time, many of the others have been here for several years at many levels of play.  Many of the guys have impressive Little League stories - with World Series and Regional appearances at many levels as well over many years.  But we are all just volunteers and when it comes to taking the game assignments handed out we do it with the pride and enthusiasm fitting of a Regional Tournament.

Today is a great example - this is Semi Finals day and game assignments were given out.  Only 8 of the umpires are working today, but the others have volunteered to work a Friendship Game between The Netherlands and Sweden.  They could have taken the day off and gone sightseeing or watched the other games. 

Pool Play Ends, On to the Elimination Rounds

 

Pool play ended today with Germany (Americans) and Italy coming out on top of their pools with unbeaten records.  Next are the elimination rounds with teams from opposite pools facing off.

I had the plate assignment on the game between Belarus and Poland.  This was good game, went the full seven innings except that both teams thought the game was over after 6 innings because that is what they play in some countries!  Poland has the smallest player in the tournament - you can see him in the photos of Opening Ceremonies.  Well, everytime he has come to bat in the tournament he walked as the pitcher had a tough time finding the strike zone.  But not the last time in this game.  I called two quick strikes on him as he stood there and watched the ball come in.  Then, 3 straight balls.  With a full count, a nice fat slow pitch comes in and he swings as hard as he can and hits a ground ball.  Down the base line he scampers, as fast as he can with great enthusiasm but he is thrown out.  The few fans on the Poland side (not Polish fans, just happen to be sitting there) erupt with loud cheers and applause for his hitting, as he goes back to the dugout he tips his helmet to them.  Pretty cool.  In the same game, the Belarus catcher  missed a pitch that glanced off his glove and hit me on the shoulder.  He turned to me and said in his best English, "Sorry Umpire, my mistake."  I just smiled and he laughed.   

Umpires Are Popular with the Youth of Kutno

 

Each day the number of kids who come to watch grows, and you will find them hanging out just outside the entrance to the Umpire Room waiting to get a pin from one of the umpires.  Most speak no English, but they all want a pin, any pin.  Here is a good picture of Bobby Gump trading away his pin, surrounded by players and local kids.  He is very popular!  Scott Nelson from Danville, CA had a big bag of assorted pins and he traded them all or gave them away, so he was soon found giving away Umpire Indicators and teaching the kids how to keep track of balls and strikes!  We are pretty sure they will be in the stands today clicking away. 

Scott had finished his game assignments for the day and he thought it would be good to teach some of the kids how to throw and catch.  Soon we all looked around and we have 15 kids playing "Pickle" and having a great time.  Again, little English.  Amazing how you can teach a kid a game and they pick it up so quickly.  We want to teach them how to play "Over the Line" or "Work-Ups" next.