August 14, 2009

Teams begin descending on Bangor

One after the other, the first teams to arrive in Bangor for this year’s Senior League Baseball World Series stepped onto the field at Mansfield Stadium today as they adjusted their bearings to their new home for the next week. Some wearing jeans, some wearing shorts, they slowly walked onto the infield and then the outfield grass as the stadium’s grounds crew finished painting the three large logos that will adorn foul territory for a full week of baseball. Foul territory between home and third base and home and first base displayed the World Series logo while “Bangor” curved around the outer edge of the home plate area.

Two large piles of drying agent awaited dispersal behind third and first bases. A string ran from the middle of the pitcher’s plate through the back point of home plate and beyond the “Bangor” logo. Mansfield Stadium isn’t your typical Little League field. For the World Series, every little detail on the field is carefully planned. Beyond the right field fence, the scoreboard was lit up so the grounds crew could identify and replace blown-out bulbs.

The dugouts had yellow “Caution” tape strung across them on the outside, for the benches, block step, and helmet and bat racks had received a fresh coat of royal blue, gray, or black paint.

A handful of players from South Carolina bent over and peeked through one of the windows behind home plate at the bottom of the grandstand. What goes on down here? they wanted to know. Is this the press box?

They had traveled so far they probably were too tired to have noticed the press box at the top of the grandstand.

The room behind the plate, by the way, is the nerve center for the stadium. It serves as the office for the tournament director and information director and is where the control boxes are for the stadium’s six light towers and sprinkler system. For the championship game, it will be where the ESPN’s remote camera behind home plate will be operated using two small monitors and a joystick.

Aruba, Canada, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Wisconsin each arrived late in the afternoon into early evening to see the field, have their supper, and buy souvenirs. Tomorrow, all 10 teams will gather at the stadium throughout the day after receiving their uniforms at the hotel and have their photos taken for the souvenir program, which will be available for sale by the end of the first game, between Canada and Maine District 3 Sunday.

At 7 p.m., Anah Temple Shrine clowns will entertain children leading up to opening ceremonies, which will begin at 7:30 p.m. Admission to the opening festivities is free to the public. At 8 p.m., the 10 teams will parade around the outer edge of the infield dirt, followed by the national anthems for Aruba, Canada, Italy, the Philippines, and the United States.

After brief remarks from dignitaries that will include Maine Gov. John Baldacci and Little League Baseball President Steve Keener, a fireworks display will conclude the festivities.