After winning the Canadian Championship on Sunday, the South 麻豆传媒映画All-Stars arrived in Williamsport, Pa. for the World Series and discovered a treat usual reserved for December.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like Christmas here,鈥� said manager Brian Perry. Granted, he added, one only a few kid gets to experience. 鈥淰ery few clubs get to do this, so we鈥檙e very fortunate.鈥�
The team has been outfitted with new uniforms, trading in their navy blue for red. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not just South 麻豆传媒映画now 鈥� we鈥檙e Canada,鈥� said Perry.
The athletes are being photographed and interviewed and treated to sponsorship swag from baseball companies like Easton in the form of new bats, gloves and cleats. The boys stay together in a dorm and are chaperoned by two 鈥渦ncles,鈥� named Willy and Dick, one a retired police officer, who volunteer at the annual World Series, now in its 75th year.
Emma March, only the 17th girl to qualify for the tournament since girls were welcomed in 1974, is in a separate room with the 18th girl in that special lineage, Mo鈥檔e Davis, a Pennsylvania pitcher who throws a 70 mph fastball. The pair have a volunteer woman they know as "aunty."
Graham Randell, the president of South 麻豆传媒映画Little League, was on his way south from rural Quebec to Pennsylvania a few hours after the players and three coaches left Sunday night by bus, arriving in Williamsport around 4:30 a.m.
鈥淏y all accounts, they are having a great time doing the things that kids do,鈥� said Randell.
Teams are housed in a type of athletes鈥� village while parents and supporters are on their own to book hotels, stay with family or secure billets.
鈥淭he parents and myself are caravanning down in different cars. Some had to go home for work, some have gone home to tie some things up and are coming back to Williamsport. Some of us are driving straight down and some off to see families,鈥� said Randell.
Since launching in 1956, South 麻豆传媒映画had never won their district title, never played at a provincial tournament they didn鈥檛 host and had never represented B.C. at the Canadian Championship. This cohort of players won the B.C. Championship at the lower age group and are now charting new territory for the club and are taking their supporters along for the ride.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a dream come true for these children and for the coaches and even for the parents and myself,鈥� said Randell. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a very exciting time for the league.鈥�
