Let's Just Go Somewhere: First Trip to LLWBS

On Tuesday, we went back into town to get a few more groceries at Wal-mart. It seems we never remember to get everything and are always having to make a stop at Wal-mart. We also shopped at Nittany Mall looking for some more cargo shorts for Chuck. The end of August in Pennsylvania is not the best time to be looking for men's shorts. The only shorts we found at Macy's were $75. I don't think so! We looked in Sears but their men's department was very small. We finally found some shorts at a store we have never been into previously: BonTon's. We found 2 pair of shorts that were on sale for $17.99 each plus we got a 25% discount off the total. Sweet!

Because we were only about an hour (per Google Maps) from the Little League World Series complex, we decided to drive to Williamsport to watch the last two games of the day. Google Maps initially took us down a country road that made us feel like we were driving through a corn maze. This time of year, Pennsylvania reminds us of Iowa. Just about every open field has corn growing in it!

We drove down the country road for about 15 miles and then got on Hwy 220 into Willliamsport. We found the parking area for the complex fairly quickly (no fee for parking). We began walking up the hill to the stadium and were offered a ride on a golf cart (also free). When we went through security where they check your backpacks, etc., Chuck asked where you go get tickets and they told us there aren't any tickets today, it's free. (Actually, we knew that, but Chuck thought we might have to have tickets to get a stadium seat.)

We were able to get great seats along the first base line in the stadium. The Little League World Series complex is a first class facility and the stadium seating is amazing. All the seats are plenty wide with armrests and there is at least 18 inches between you and the back of the seats in front of you allowing for plenty of room to walk down the aisles (unlike most college and pro stadiums). And we had a perfect view of the infield...

...and the outfield.

The stadium seats 3,300 and behind the outfield there is a huge bank that seats an additional 30,000 people...all free! Can you believe it??? The big thing that the kids like to do is slide down the upper bank.

The first game we watched was Chinese Taipai vs. Mexico. Both teams were good,

but Mexico proved to be the much better team winning 11 to 1.

ESPN has covered the Little League World Series for years. We could see the ESPN crews calling the game in their booth up above home plate.

The last game of the day was between Kentucky and California. The teams were out on the field practicing soon after the Mexico-Chinese Taipei game had ended.

Before the game began, Mariano Rivera, former pitcher with the New York Yankees was inducted into the Little League Hall of Excellence.

He was presented the award by last year's inductee, Mike Musinna, another former New York Yankee pitcher.

Mariano threw the first pitch of the game to Kentucky's catcher. I bet he was one excited kid!

The Kentucky / California game was another exciting game. It's amazing how good these young baseball players are. The pitchers throw at speeds that are comparable with the professionals given the shorter distance between the pitcher's mound and home plate. In other words, less time for the batter to react.