The Backyard Batting Cage

Buy the best Baseball Bats and Easton baseball bats

Whether it’s the old or the young the game of baseball is loved by almost people of every age. When it comes to the game of Baseball Bats are an integral part of this exciting game. This bat is either a metal or wooden club that is used to hit a ball that is thrown by the pitcher. The baseball bats are not very heavy and the weight of the Baseball Bats is not more than 33 ounces. Earlier the baseball bats were all manufactured by some kind of a hard wood. But the situation is not same these days as presently there are different kinds of baseball bats. The different types of bats are dependent on the specifications of league or division that governs what type of equipment will be considered standard for all teams of any particular league.

When buying Baseball Bats you should keep some points in mind. Your performance on the field will depend considerably on the baseball bat that you are using. Whether you are a comer or a little league up or a college athlete, the equipment that you will choose for your game will definitely affect your performance to a very large extent. There is another point that you should consider that is that the cheap baseball bats that a person buys from the retail stores are very different from the good quality bats that are available in the stores that sells baseball equipment. The basic difference between the cheap baseball bats and the high end bats is the technology involved in their manufacturing.

When it comes to buying a baseball bat of a known brand name then one of the best choices is the Easton baseball bats. The baseball bats that are manufactured by the Easton baseball bats posses many qualities. The Easton baseball bats manufacture different kind of bats like ranging from the composite bats to the SV12 and the V12 aluminum bats. Whichever kind of baseball bats you need, you will find it at Easton baseball bats.

Simon Lee writes informative and unique articles about Baseball bats and Easton baseball bats. One thing that separates Simon Lee from others is the passion he puts into it, knowing full well and respecting the time viewers spend on reading his work.

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A fund drive is now under way to assist the village of Utica in purchasing equipment for the new softball field now being constructed at Neighbor's Park on North Mill Street.
Little League president Doug Porter said the ongoing fund drive is trying to raise more than $26,000 before Nov. 30 for necessary additions and equipment to make the field playable. Items needed include a back stop, bleachers, sideline fencing, scoreboard, dugouts, benches, and a lawnmower. He said the league would also like to build a concession stand and install lights sometime in the near future.
Porter said the league is currently soliciting donations from area businesses as well as local community members. Donations of $250 or more will be listed on a plague which will be displayed at the park and contributions of $20 or more will be acknowledged in a thank you advertisement in area newspaper after the project's completion.
Donations, which are tax deductible, can be taken or mailed to: Utica Little League Equipment Fund, care of Community Bank of Utica, 100 Mill St., Utica, 61373.
Porter added if a business or individual would like to make a contribution for a specific item, the request would be honored. Anyone interested in supporting the project has questions, contact Porter at 815-667-4977 or 815-343-1632.
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The Glove

It was during a March evening in 2002 that I received word that my grandfather was dying. I drove the four and a half hours to Ironwood, Michigan in a snowstorm to say goodbye. I was able to see my grandpa and he was able to recognize me and acknowledge that I was there.

The next morning, he was gone. The doctors said that they were not sure how he had survived for so long. He had many health conditions and a lot of pain that he hadn't really shown on the outside. Yet, he had visited my grandmother every day in the nursing home where she had moved just a few months before. The staff marveled at the fact that my grandpa could even make it up the stairs each day. But, he did it. He was always there to help someone else.

I stayed in the town where my grandfather had been born, lived and now passed on. The funeral was scheduled for just a couple of days later. I thought a lot about my grandfather during this time. He had inspired me to be an athlete and coach. I remember him showing me the pictures and ribbons that he had won as a hurdler in track and field. But his real love was baseball. He was a great first baseman who played for a while with the Union City Greyhounds farm team and even had a try out for the St. Louis Cardinals. Rumor has it that he left baseball to come back for my grandmother. He continued to play ball in his home town. When times were tough and jobs were scarce, my grandfather was offered a job at the mine... if he would also play on the company's baseball team.

Two days passed and the preparations for the funeral were made. I spent a lot of the time at my aunt's house with the rest of my family. Late in the morning, there was a knock on the door. An older gentleman stood outside and carried a small object under one arm. My aunt answered the door and had a short conversation with the man. He then handed her the object, said goodbye and walked off.

My aunt entered the room looking sad but strangely happy at the same time. In her hands, she cradled a baseball glove. It was old and battered and some of the laces were missing but you could still see the words US ARMY branded into the leather. My aunt set the glove on the table and filled the rest of us in on what had just happened.

'This was Dad's glove from the Army,' she said. 'Remember that when he got back from the war, he helped to start the first little league here in town. That man was a member of Dad's first team. His family didn't have much money and he couldn't afford to buy a baseball glove. Dad gave him his so that he could play like the rest of the boys.'

The man had gone on to say that he had never forgotten my grandfather's generosity. He had kept and cherished the glove for over 45 years. He had seen my grandpa's obituary in the newspaper and had wanted to return the glove to the family and let us know what a great coach, and man, my grandfather had been.

The glove was put on display at my grandpa's funeral. And, of course, the minister's sermon contained many allusions to sports and frequent quotes from A Field of Dreams. All this made me ever so proud of my grandfather who enjoyed coaching and passing on his love of athletics to the youth in his town. It also made me remember why I chose to be a coach.

How many times have you wondered, 'Why do people coach? Why do they give up their time and energy for little or no money, sometimes even less respect and the opportunity to be targeted by parents and fans alike?'

That cold and snowy March day, I was reminded of the answers to those questions. We coach to touch the youth. To instill values into young people that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives. We coach to make a difference and to show the right way to play, work and live. We coach so that, even 45 years can pass without a man forgetting his coach and the impact that he had made on a young boy's life.

About the author: Tim Alan Kauppinen, or Coach K, has over 20 years experience as an athlete and coach. He has worked with athletes of all ages and abiltities in track and field, football, speed training and strength and conditioning. Coach K publishes a free daily fitness email with current tips on getting stronger, faster and in the best shape of your life. To sign up for this no cost service, visit Coach K's website at http:\www.makesyoufast.com

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Jul. 7 2010 - 12:21 am | 599 views | 0 recommendations |

All over the nation, all-star teams in no-star towns are starting the long road to South Williamsport, Pa., and its Little League World Series. I would ask the fine folks of the Little League in Escanaba, Mich., to throw out the first pitch, except they’ve already taken their ball and gone home.

Escanaba, a city of 12,000 on the Lake Michigan coast of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, has elected to sit out the Little League playoffs in a decision its local board ungrammatically said “was not easy but was forced by years of working the bureaucrat system.” Are any of them members of the Democrat party?

So what is the problem? Like India and Pakistan in Kashmir, and you and your little brother over the backseat of your parents’ 1979 Cutlass, the issue is a border dispute.

According to the Daily Press of Escanaba, that city’s Little League started in 1951, and took a trip to the World Series in 1957. However, Gladstone, a city of 5,000 seven miles up the coast, formed its own Little League in 1973, in part because of fiddling with Escanaba’s boundaries so it could keep as much of the city as possible and meet the Little League standard of a population of 15,000. One section was lopped off “because many of the residents were senior citizens and if there were any children they were more likely to be interested in sailing, tennis or golf.” When families in that area complained that their kids indeed like baseball, too, when they weren’t busy being little Newport, R.I., the borders were readjusted, and upset parents in the newly carved-out territory joined forces with Gladstone, where it remains to this day.

(By the way, the territory Gladstone’s Little League serves includes an area my father, a Boston native who came to Upper Michigan when he was assigned there in the Air Force, derisively referred to as “nowhere.” As in, when he was dating my mother, a Gladstone native, my father — used to cities and suburbs that all blended together — while they were driving asked her, “Where are we?” My mom said, “Between Gladstone and Escanaba.” My dad said, “No, what city are we in?” My mom said, “We’re not in one. We’re between Gladstone and Escanaba.” My dad said, “But if we died in a car accident, where would they say we died?” My mom said, “Between Gladstone and Escanaba.” My dad said, “So you mean, ‘Nowhere.’ “)

Funny story: Over the years, Little League raised its population maximum per territory to 20,000, and Escanaba’s population declined to below 15,000 anyway. So there was no need to adjust territories. Also, the territory Escanaba lopped off happened to supply a fair number of players. So Gladstone, with less than half the population of Escanaba, has 402 registered players, while Escanaba has 332.

Escanaba would like its players back, you know, for the kids. A release Escanaba put out in May, announcing its Little League playoff boycott, boo-hooed: “[I]t is very difficult for a coach or a board member to have to tell an Escanaba student that they cannot play ball with their school friends.” It hurts them more than it hurts you, kid.

Of course, this argument is going over in Gladstone as well as a fart in deer camp.

A fart in deer camp, courtesy of Jeff Daniels’ 2001 opus, “Escanaba in da Moonlight.”

Says Gladstone Little League president Mike Gobert, in the Daily Press: “With the program we have, we have a pretty good set-up. I’m perfectly satisfied with the way it is.” Of course.

Actually, the Gladstone Little League is right, and I’m not just saying that because my mother grew up there, and because my grandmother ran the Daily Press Gladstone bureau for years. (In Gladstone, not between Gladstone and Escanaba.) If Escanaba hadn’t tried to game the system decades before, it wouldn’t be in the trouble it is today, like what people say about Reaganism and the state of the present American economy.

I’m not sure what Escanaba thinks it can gain by a boycott. The Gladstone Little League says it is getting calls from Escanaba parents asking if they can enter their kids on a Gladstone all-star team, but that isn’t happening. So the kids are upset, and I doubt the Escanaba parents are blaming Gladstone. Anyway, I don’t think that when Brent Musberger takes the mike for the Little League World Series, he’ll say, “We have some great teams here, but they’ll all have an asterisk, because mighty Escanaba never played.”

On top of that, Escanaba lost the right to host any Little League playoffs. The girls senior division goes to Manistique, population 3,500, while the age 11 state tournament shifts to — ha ha — Gladstone. Given that the Upper Michigan economy was never great even when it was good, the only thing Escanaba’s boycott is accomplishing is preventing people from spending much-needed money there.

I hope the Escanaba bureaucrat system is happy with that.

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Japan Wins Little League World Series

In dramatic fashion, and aptly named, Konan Tomori smashed a 2 run home run to seal Japan’s victory over Hawaii for the Little League World Series Championship.

Konan Tomori was the star of the Little League World Series Championship. He may not have been the MVP of the series but he most assuredly was the MVP of the game.

He went 2-for-2 with a two-run homer and three RBI, leading Japan to a 4-1 win over Waipahu, Hawaii in the Little League World Series championship game.

Ryusuke Ikeda and Ichiro Ogasawara combined to allow just one run on four hits to earn the win. Neither walked a batter, while they combined for eight strikeouts in the win, the first championship by an international team since Pabao, Willemstad, Curacao won it in 2004.

Ogasawara didn’t allow a hit in his three innings and added a hit for Japan in the victory.

Brysen Yoshii scored the only run for Hawaii, which failed to capture its second Little League World Series crown in three years, having won it all in 2008. The team managed just four hits overall in defeat.

Japan got on the board in the second.

Masaya Ishii walked leading off the inning, and pinch-runner Ryosuke Sugawara moved to third on a single from Kaname Shinozaki. Sugawara came around to score on a wild pitch by starting pitcher Cody Maltezo, who gave up three runs in 5 2/3 innings for Hawaii.

Ogasawara doubled leading off the fourth and scored on a single from Tomori to double Japan’s lead, but Brysen Yoshii scored for Hawaii in the home half on an Ezra Heleski sacrifice to keep it a one-run game.

Hawaii looked to maintain its one-run deficit heading into its final at-bat in the sixth, but Tomori blasted a two-run homer with two outs to make it a 4-1 contest.

Ogasawara pitched around a one-out error in the home half to seal the championship win.

In the consolation game, Chinese Taipei scored nine times in the first inning en route to a 14-2 rout of Pearland, Texas.

Hsun-Hao Shih homered and drove in three runs, while Wei-Chih Chen allowed two runs in four innings to earn the win.

Beau Orlando hit a two-run homer for Texas to account for the team’s scoring.

Japan wins Little Leage World Series (AP) — The Little League aces from Japan ended the United States’ five-year reign as World Series champions. The team from Tokyo limited Waipahu, Hawaii, … 

Japan topples Hawaii, wins Little League World Series championship (AP) — The Little League aces from Japan ended the United States’ five-year reign as World Series champions. The team from Tokyo limited Waipahu, Hawaii, … 

Baseball: Japan wins Little League World Series title WILLIAMSPORT—Tokyo beat Waipahu, Hawaii 4-1 Sunday to become the first team from Japan to capture the Little League World Series title in seven years. … 

Japan wins the Little League World Series (LLWS) in a close game against Hawaii Sunday, Japan won the Little League World Series (LLWS) against Hawaii; Japan kept the score low with good defense and a 4-1 score. For most of the game, …

Japan wins Little League World Series The Little League aces from Japan ended the United States’ five-year reign as World Series champions. The team from Tokyo limited Waipahu, Hawaii, … Japan Wins The Little League World Series.

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Barry Cunningham - who has written 5082 posts on Real Estate Radio USA.

Barry Cunningham is one of the Co-Editors of iNEWS and offers a cutting edge and some may say an opinionated view of today's news and current events. Never one to be shy about giving his take on what's happening in the world of sports, politics and business.

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I’m posting this Tuesday, and I know that this is late for a weekend recap.  However, this was no ordinary weekend.  I feel like I was on a Vegas bender.  Here are 5 common sense lessons that the Phillies and the Eagles should have known already.

5. 6’2” is taller than 5’8”.  This one is the most obvious.  While Jerry Rice … I’m sorry it was Kenny Britt that was torching the Eagles secondary for 2 and a half quarters.  I’m sorry I didn’t think Asante Samuel played Left Cornerback.  I thought he played Cornerback.  Why not switch your big price CB to the receiver that had almost as many receiving yards as you (the Eagles) had passing yards (225 for Britt, 227 for the Eagles)?  It wasn’t all Ellis Hobbs fault, but where is the adjustment?

4.  Protect the plate with 2 strikes.   I see it more and more across baseball.  They teach you that in little league.  Two strikes, shorten up that swing.  If it’s close, you gotta swing.  On the Phillies, it felt like a disease.  Ryan Howard has been one of the chief patients with that disease.  I have always been a bit of a Ryan Howard defender.  I can’t defend that.  I don’t care if it was borderline low.  You are the cleanup hitter in what is supposed to be the best lineup in the NL, if not baseball.  Are you trying to take a walk with two outs and a full count in the ninth?  Swing the bat, big man.

3.  Andy Reid needs to do a better job.  Listen to his press conference.  Everything “is on him,” and “(he) needs to do a better job with that.”  Agreed.

2.  You can’t win if you don’t score.  The pitching for the Phils in the NLCS was good enough to win.  Maybe not Halladay in game 1, fine Lincecum was better.  Hamels pitched well in his start.  Oswalt was great.  The Phillies bats were silenced.  How is that this lineup all goes cold at the same time?  Howard no RBIs.  Howard did hit .303, however.  The rest of the team hit below .226.  Maybe he didn’t have any RBIs because nobody was on.  The postseason leader board is littered with Giants, who I still think are the inferior team.

1.  Missed opportunities will bite you in the rear end.  In the NLCS, there were a million. That series was for the Phillies what the Tampa Bay loss was to the Eagles.   I heard other people say it and I had the same thought.  That was a great shot at winning a championship and they came up small.  As for the Eagles, they’re up 16-7 with the ball on the Titans 3 in the third quarter.  Score a touchdown and it’s over.  The Eagles fumble and the rest is history.  Just add in their 10 penalties and holding down Chris Johnson, the league’s best back, for good measure.

What a great weekend.  Now, you know why it took me an extra day to collect myself.  I’m going to go back to bed now.

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Youth baseball pitchers often range from unhittable to brutally bad, there is usually not much in-between. Many youth coaches and youth baseball players alike think that pitching in Little League baseball is all about the speed of the pitch but in reality, a youth baseball pitcher can get people out with other things like location and changing speeds.

Here are some pitching tips for youth baseball pitchers to use:

Practice throwing strikes-

Many youth baseball players are afraid to swing the bat. Walking kids in Little League baseball can be fatal since it's so easy to steal second and even third base and mistakes are often made in the field.

Coaches should do drills that focus youth baseball pitchers to throw a certain number or percentage of strikes before they can stop.

The best tip you can give a youth baseball player is to not worry about always throwing the ball hard. A good change-up is important for any youth baseball pitcher because it can function as a strikeout pitch and it doesn't stress the wrist like a curveball does.

A youth baseball player who follows this tip and works on a change-up their whole career will have a chance to master it by high school, giving them a leg up on the other players.

Good stretching can make any youth baseball pitcher more effective. Stretching doesn't have to be done right before a game or practice, either, you can do it in the morning, too. Later on, practicing yoga and pilates are also a good idea for a young baseball pitcher. More flexibility equals more speed and control.

Many youth baseball pitchers are afraid to pitch inside, but it is an important tool in any pitcher's arsenal. Develop your Little League pitchers' control and then they should be able to pitch inside without hitting the batter.

Most youth baseball pitchers face teams that only have five decent hitters tops. Study their weaknesses and throw pitches that they like to bite on. Most youth baseball players have tendencies to swing at bad pitches such as high ones or pitches in the dirt. Youth baseball pitchers should keep throwing these pitches to try and get them to swing at bad pitches because it usually works.

-These are just a few tips that youth baseball pitchers can use to get opposing hitters out in Little League Games. To get more youth baseball pitching tips, make it a point to take your son to camps and clinics because many Little League coaches don't know what they're doing or don't know nearly as much as professionals.

Youth baseball pitchers can use these tips as general guidelines, but there is no substitute for constant practice as well as confidence. Youth baseball pitchers that are confident will always succeed more than those who aren't no matter how good their stuff is.

Copyright Nick Meyer. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.

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PRLog (Press Release) – Oct 14, 2010 – Allstate agency owner Paul Monaco was recently named an Agent Hero by Allstate Insurance Company’s New York Region, and awarded a $500 grant for a local youth program.

Monaco donated the grant to the North Tonawanda National Little League (NTNLL), where he has coached and sponsored teams for the past 16 years. Monaco currently coaches his son’s team, the15-16 year-old Senior Division Giants.

“As an Allstate agent, I believe it is my responsibility to demonstrate the Good Hands Promise in the North Tonawanda community every single day,” said Monaco, whose office is located at 3571 Niagara Falls Boulevard. “It is an honor to be able to donate this grant to the Little League and hopefully touch the lives of the kids who are involved.”

In photo (left to right): Allstate agent Paul Monaco, NTNLL Sponsor Chairman Samuel Messina

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the “You’re In Good Hands With Allstate®” slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help more than 17 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®.

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Yep, just when I thought I was getting good at the whole blog thing, posting fairly often, and having more than 2 people read my posts, I just stopped.  It was like I lost all motivation to post.  Actually, lately I’ve been feeling like I’ve lost all motivation to do anything.  I don’t know why, but I just have.  Thankfully I think I can feel that motivation coming back, but it’s coming slow.  I’m wondering if I can find some way to jump start it? Maybe so, maybe not, but I know I can’t keep doing nothing.

I actually had a few things come to mind this morning that I thought would be really fun, and would bring more excitement to my life.  One was to try to become an official for one of the sports leagues around Auburn.  I had thought it would be fun after watching some of the Adult League softball games, and then again after watching a little league football game last night.  It just seems fun, plus it could bring in a little extra money, and that’s always good.   Then I thought, why not try my hand at coaching? True I’ve never done it before, but if you know how to play the game, and can teach others how to play, then it should’t be that hard, right? That’s when I thought I should just do what I’ve really been wanting to do and start our own Softball team! I could coach and play. Problem is, I’m not sure if I can get enough people who would be interested in playing.  Still doesn’t mean I should’t try though.  If nothing else, maybe I can find another team who needs and extra player, or just go the referee route.

I also thought that what would be really fun is if Auburn had an Adult Football league… and I’m not talking flag football or two hand touch either.  I mean full uniform, body slamming football. The kind everybody wishes they could have one chance to play.  How awesome would that be? I did find out that there’s a Kickball league, but with our choices of team sports being Kickball and Softball, it seems pretty limited.  Maybe I should look into starting a football league too… or would that be too much work?

Anyway, I do know I want to start doing more than just sitting around every day, or just watching other people have fun.  I mean it’s always great to watch a good game of baseball, football, or any number of other sports, but nothing beats actually playing them.  So yea, if I can get enough people interested in starting a softball team before next spring, then we’ll do it.  I promise we’ll get plenty of practice, and I’ll make it as fun as I can.  Just let me know if you want to play, and we’ll get this thing going!

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By Ryan Berenz

Held every August since 1947, the Little League World Series brings baseball players ages 11-12 from around the world to South Williamsport, Pa., to compete for the world championship. Pared down from a field of 16 teams (eight from the U.S. and eight international), the U.S. finalists take on the international finalists at Howard J. Lamade Stadium today for the title game. ABC airs the game live in front of a national audience, which might seem like a lot of pressure for some youngsters to handle. Last year saw the team from Chula Vista, Calif., beat the team from Taoyuan County, Chinese Taipei, 6-3. ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC combine to televise the games. Here’s the release and schedule from ESPN:

ABC, ESPN & ESPN2 Combine to Deliver Every Little League World Series Game

U.S., International and World Series Championships on ABC

ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 will combine to present every game (up to 34) of the Little League World Series Presented by Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Reduced Sugar from Williamsport, Pa., Aug. 20-29.  ABC – entering the network’s 48th consecutive year of Little League World Series coverage – will broadcast the International Championship on Saturday, Aug. 28, at 1 p.m., the United States Championship on Aug. 28 at 4 p.m., and the Little League World Series Championship on Sunday, Aug. 29, at 3 p.m.  Every World Series game on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 will be available in high definition for the sixth straight year.  All ESPN and ESPN2 telecasts will be simulcast via ESPN3.com, with nearly all games available on ESPN Mobile TV.

For the first time, this year’s Little League World Series will feature a double-elimination format.  The Little League World Series from Williamsport will begin with regional winners competing in the double-elimination round Friday, Aug. 20, including: New England (Fairfield, Conn.) vs. Northwest (Auburn, Wash.) at 1 p.m. on ESPN; Midwest (Plymouth, Minn.) vs. Southwest (Pearland, Texas) at 3 p.m. on ESPN; Caribbean (Puerto Rico) vs. Europe (Germany) at 6 p.m. on ESPN2; and Japan (Tokyo) vs. Mexico (Tamaulipas) at 8 p.m. on ESPN2.  ABC will broadcast two games from the opening weekend: Southeast (Columbus, Ga.) vs. West (Waipahu, Hawaii) Saturday, Aug. 21, at 3 p.m., and an elimination game between either Mid-Atlantic (Toms River, NJ)/Great Lakes (Hamilton, Ohio) vs. Southeast/West Sunday, Aug. 22, at 2 p.m.

Action will continue daily (excluding Friday, Aug. 27) through the Little League World Series consolation game Sunday, Aug. 29, at 11 a.m. on ESPN and Little League World Series Championship.

ESPN game commentators:

Double Elimination Round – Aug. 20-26
Gary Thorne and Orel Hershiser
Karl Ravech and Bobby Valentine
Jon Sciambi and Nomar Garciaparra

Kyle Peterson and Adriana Monsalve will serve as roving reporters

Fun Fact: Hershiser and Garciaparra will achieve the broadcasting triple crown this season, contributing as game analysts to ESPN’s Major League Baseball, College World Series and Little League World Series coverage.

Single Elimination Round – Aug. 28-29
Brent Musburger and analyst Hershiser will call the U.S., International and World Series Championships on ABC.   Ravech, who will host ABC’s weekend coverage throughout the tournament, will call the third-place consolation game with Valentine.

ESPN will also televise a Little League World Series Web Gems/World Series Preview Presented by Subway, recapping the best defensive plays throughout the tournament and previewing the championship, Sunday, Aug. 29, at 1 p.m.

ESPN maintains a Little League World Series Facebook page, which provides news and information, videos, game previews and trivia, among other content, to its more than 40,000 fans.

2010 Little League World Series Schedule
All ESPN telecasts simulcast on ESPN3.com (*denotes elimination game)
Pool A – Mid-Atlantic (Toms River, NJ), West (Waipahu, Hawaii), Southeast (Columbus, Ga.) and Great Lakes (Hamilton, Ohio); Pool B – New England (Fairfield, Conn.), Midwest (Plymouth, Minn.), Southwest (Pearland, Texas) and Northwest (Auburn, Wash.); Pool C – Caribbean (Puerto Rico), Japan (Tokyo), Mexico (Tamaulipas) and Europe (Germany); and Pool D – Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia), Latin America (Panama), Canada (British Columbia) and Asia-Pacific (Chinese Taipei).

Double Elimination Round
Date    Time (ET)    Game    Field    Network
Fri, Aug 20 1 p.m.    #1: New England vs. Northwest    Volunteer    ESPN
3 p.m.    #2: Midwest vs. Southwest    Lamade    ESPN
6 p.m.    #3: Caribbean vs. Europe    Volunteer    ESPN2
8 p.m.    #4: Japan vs. Mexico    Lamade    ESPN2
Sat, Aug 21 11 a.m.    #5: Mid-Atlantic vs. Great Lakes    Lamade    ESPN
1 p.m.    #6: Latin America vs. Canada    Volunteer    ESPN
3 p.m.    #7: Southeast vs. West    Lamade    ABC
6 p.m.    #8: Asia-Pacific vs. Middle East & Africa    Volunteer    ESPN
8 p.m.    #9: *New England/Northwest loser vs. Midwest/Southwest loser    Lamade    ESPN
Sun, Aug 22 12 p.m.    #10: *Caribbean/Europe loser vs. Japan/Mexico loser    Volunteer    ESPN
2 p.m.    #11: *Mid-Atlantic/Great Lakes loser vs. Southeast/West loser    Lamade    ABC
3 p.m.    #12: *Latin America/Canada loser vs. Asia-Pacific/Middle East & Africa loser    Volunteer    ESPN
6 p.m.    #13: Winner’s Bracket Final: Caribbean/Europe winner vs. Japan/Mexico winner    Volunteer    ESPN2
8 p.m.    #14: Winner’s Bracket Final: New England/Northwest winner vs. Midwest/Southwest winner    Lamade    ESPN2
Mon, Aug 23 12 p.m.    Consolation Game: Game #9 loser vs. Game #10 loser    Lamade    ESPN2
2 p.m.    #15: Winner’s Bracket Final: Latin America/Canada winner vs. Asia-Pacific/Middle East & Africa winner    Volunteer    ESPN
4 p.m.    #16: *Game #13 loser vs. Game #10 winner    Lamade    ESPN
6 p.m.    #17: Winner’s Bracket Final: Mid-Atlantic/Great Lakes winner vs. Southeast/West winner    Volunteer    ESPN2
8 p.m.    #18: *Game #14 loser vs. Game #9 winner    Lamade    ESPN2
Tue, Aug 24 12 p.m.    Consolation Game    Lamade    ESPN2
2 p.m.    #19: *Game #15 loser vs. Game #12 winner    Volunteer    ESPN2
4 p.m.    #20: *Game #17 loser vs. Game #11 winner    Lamade    ESPN
6 p.m.    #21: *Game #13 winner vs. Game #16 winner    Volunteer    ESPN2
8 p.m.    #22: *Game #14 winner vs. Game #18 winner    Lamade    ESPN2
Wed, Aug 25 2 p.m.    Pool C Final (if nec.)    Volunteer    ESPN
4 p.m.    Pool B Final (if nec.)    Lamade    ESPN
6 p.m.    *Game #15 winner vs. Game #19 winner    Volunteer    ESPN
8 p.m.    *Game #17 winner vs. Game #20 winner    Lamade    ESPN
Note: if two games are required on Wednesday, Aug. 25, the start times will be 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.; if three games are played, they will be televised at 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Thu, Aug 26 4 p.m.    Pool D Final (if nec.)    Lamade    ESPN
7 p.m.    Pool A Final (if nec.)    Lamade    ESPN2
Note: if one game is required, it will be televised at 7 p.m.

Single Elimination
Sat, Aug 28 1 p.m.    International Championship    Lamade    ABC
4 p.m.    U.S. Championship    Lamade    ABC
Sun, Aug 29 11 a.m.    Consolation Game (third place)    Lamade    ESPN
1 p.m.    Little League Web Gems Special and Championship Preview Presented by Subway         ESPN
3 p.m.    Little League World Series Championship    Lamade    ABC

Photo: © 2005 Howard Smith-US Presswire/ZUMA Press/Newscom

Categories: Sports, TV News & Program Updates // 2 Comments »

Tags: ABC, baseball, ESPN, ESPN2, Little League Baseball, Little League World Series, Sports, TV News & Program Updates

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A large group of Pennsylvania College of Technology students offered their assistance while gaining hands-on experience at the 2010 Little League Baseball World Series in South Williamsport.

Emergency medical services students were stationed in the stadium, working under the leadership of Susquehanna Regional Emergency Medical Services paramedics to respond to medical emergencies among the thousands of fans attending the international event.

Sixty-six junior- and senior-level physician assistant students, accompanied by licensed physician assistant faculty, were stationed round-the-clock in the Little League Complex’s International Grove, where participating teams reside during the event. The students prepare the infirmary and remain on hand to provide urgent care to the players and their coaches. This year, they handled more than 100 infirmary visits.

In addition, several School of Hospitality students helped to prepare and serve a picnic lunch at South Williamsport Community Park for participants in the Challenger Game – played in Lamade Stadium the last Saturday of the series – and their families. Teams in this year’s Challenger Game hailed from the Cherry Hill (N.J.) American Little League and the Friendswood (Texas) Little League.

Names of students who participated, along with their hometowns, are:

Emergency Medical Services
Lester T. Bailey II, Watsontown; Sara C. Johns, Williamsport; Brian J. Yonkin, Dushore; Dale S. Glover, Montgomery; Alex M. Dewald, Cogan Station; Michael F. Keiser, Williamsport; David R. Welker, Clearfield; Shawn M. Packard, South Williamsport; Matthew D. Fahringer, Catawissa.

Physician Assistant
Adeyinka E. Agbaje, Brooklyn, N.Y.; Robert A. Allison, Payson, Ariz.; Katelyn M. Beach, Oakland, N.J.; Kristin J. Bernard, Hastings; Joseph A. Bobkoskie, Northumberland; Joshua A. Bower, Williamsport; Casey L. Braun, Hughesville; Jillian Cartwright, Ickesburg; Cameron J. Cowburn, Ulysses; Laura E. Curcio, Williamsport; Heather L. Day, Bellefonte; Berthain S. Delille, Westbury, N.Y.; Binju Elias, Philadelphia; Meghan L. Faust, Hegins; Hillarie A. Fike, Lewisburg; Jeremy D. Good, Lucasville, Ohio; Christopher T. Goode, Landisburg; Mary C. Grattan, Palmyra; Sarah S. Graybill, Easton; Andrew J. Hoysock Jr., Pottsville; Kelsi C. Hummel, Middleburg; Justin G. Jacobeen, Hummelstown; Elizabeth M. Koury, Mansfield; Andrew V. Kuiken, Montville, N.J.; Thomas W. Lloyd, Glen Gardner, N.J.; Phillip C. Longnecker, Bloomsburg; Julie A. Luckman-Wilcox, Milan; Mary Ann Maham, Mount Orab, Ohio; Salvatore G. Marino, Montoursville; Hannah R. McGinnis, Dunedin, Fla.; Kelley M. McGinnis, Gibsonia; Jyoti Mittal, Danville; Nathan Montgomery, Williamsport; Colin W. Mychak, Elysburg; Nathan Z. Mychak, Elysburg; Ryan A. Olenick, Pottsville; Timothy M. Pfirman, Williamsport; Matthew D. Pilkerton, McConnellsburg; Cheryl L. Powell, Etters; Kelsey B. Ratesic, Monroeville; Hans D. Reisinger, Selinsgrove; Tammy R. Rishel, Milton; Derek P. Rockwell, Wyalusing; Eric S. Roman, Williamsport; Alex J. Rugino, Toms River, N.J.; Kayla S. Rush, Kittaning; Eric S. Rymal, Williamsport; Nicholle Scott, Danville; Leah J. Scholtis, Bloomsburg; Amanda K. Seasock, Wernersville; Heather J. Simonson, Catawissa; Alysia A. Steinbacher, Williamsport; Blair A. Stepp, South Williamsport; John-Mark R. Stoltz, Williamsport; Matthew D. Stoltz, Dubois; Cameron A. Sweigart, Elizabethtown; Paula C. Szabo, Pottstown; Gelnar Talj, Frederick, Md.; Eddy M. Vacaflor, Falls Church, Va.; Monisa D. Wagner, Muncy; Nicole M. Whalen, Saint Marys; Danielle L. Williams, Slatington; Katie A. Winner, Frostburg, Md.; Megan E. Wright, South Williamsport; Lauren N. Yetzer, Ridgway; and Amy R. Zabrosky, Mechanicsbrug.

Faculty and staff who helped to supervise the physician assistant students include Paula D. Holmes, clinical director of the Physician Assistant Program; Wesley A. Calve, part-time instructor of physician assistant; Lane R. Bower, part-time instructor of physician assistant; Joseph Mileto, part-time instructor of physician assistant; and Susan Swank-Caschera, interim director of the Physician Assistant Program. All are certified physician assistants.

Emergency medical services and physician assistant personnel reported to Dr. David Ambrose, medical director for Little League, and Dr. Greg Frailey, medical director for college’s Paramedic and Physician Assistant programs.

School of Hospitality
Michelle D. Mierwald, of State College, culinary arts technology; Benjamin A. King, Elizabethtown, culinary arts and systems; and Stephanie R. Jackson, Canton, culinary arts and systems.

For general information about the college, visit online , e-mail  or call toll-free 800-367-9222.

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by Pearland Little League updates, published August 27, 2010 9:01 am

Fans of Hawaii's Little League team are pumped up after their boys beat a Georgia team on Thursday that had been undefeated.
The team is hoping for a win today in a rematch against Georgia so it can play Pearland on Saturday.
Waipio is crazy for Little League -- this is the third time in the community's history a team has made it to the World Series.
Family and friends took the day off work to catch the game, which was highlighted by a three-run homer by Justice Nakagawa.
The team is a source of growing pride in Waipio, where the Majors All Stars practice field has a sign that reads "Home Park of the 2008 World Champions Waipio Little League." The current team's success stems from generations of effort in the 25-year-old Waipio Little League, according to an article from Hawaii News Now.
Read more from the article.

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October 25, 2010 – 3:06 pm

Between 1867 and later in 1873, an American professor, Horace Williams, in what is now the University of Tokyo, Japan, baseball is the introduction of the country in mind. Williams came to Japan to teach English and American history, but his interest in the sport of greatest influence in Japan. Albert Bates in the university professor Kaitaku U.S. colleagues, in the first game of baseball in Japan instead.

first Japanese baseball club, bridge club sports channel in 1878 are organized by former U.S. students, fans of the Boston Red Sox. 1896, amateur or technology was the first international match between the baseball team of the city turned out, instead of the old game of the first school in Tokyo and the United States, in Yokohama, the country team and club. Japanese-Americans is a challenge for the game and not serious. American audience laughed and booed the Japanese thought they could get the Americans have lost their national sport. "The Japanese team defeated the Americans.

In the years 1903-1934, amateur baseball in Japan is very popular. Each school team Sokeisen competitors at Waseda University and Keio University others, and summer Koshien Baseball Association championship, or whatever. College Baseball Tournament, or spring Koshien began in 1924. In Japan, many high schools in the College National Championship baseball or the National High School Baseball. The tournament is named, Koshien Stadium was built in 1922, is the largest stadium in Japan. are 55,000 seats in the stadium is always the grass lawn Unlike most astronomical National Stadium.

Japan's professional baseball dates back to 1920, although the first professional league was organized until 1936, consisting of six teams. The first professional team Shouriki Matsutarou, now known Yomiuri Giants. Increasing competition in the Japanese professional baseball in Japan, founded in 1949 by all four leagues. The island of Shikoku in 2005 marked the founding of the Alliance. Tokyo, Japan sent the deceased long as the Global Alliance as part of the franchise in 1969 known. An effective coalition in Japan is a small team, sponsors play in local leagues and championships.

Women managers have a championship "baseball as well. In 1952, teams of women participating in the 20th century and early 70's in the league semi-professional. The Japanese national women's team participating in the medal money in the Women's World Cup debut in baseball.

Little League has won the Junior World Championships in Japan in five seconds, there were three. Since 2007, the championship team of Japan is not necessary to win the competition in the Asian region, but goes directly to the Little League World Series.

Six University League organization in Japan in 1900 through thirty years. Well, at university level, Championship in Japan, the competition of the University an annual report of the teams.

Improve business competitiveness in research, the Japanese team from Waseda University, the United States in 1905. Three years later, the baseball team returned to the University of Washington about the visit, and that baseball has become a motif of interest to an international career. American academics have 21 teams made the trip to Japan and some Japanese team made a comeback in the United States. Professional players from the United States, including Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb visited, and also played exhibition games in Japan.

In 1934, Ruth attended by 75,000 spectators packed into Koshien Stadium to see the stars of Major League Baseball. International won the Japanese national team three Olympic gold medals, two Intercontinental Cup and won the gold medal in six World Cup of Baseball. The quality of Japanese baseball star with a great pastime for many Americans in Japan participated in the new understanding of the U.S. National monument. In particular, Ichiro Suzuki, Hideki Matsui, and Japan, who played Major League Baseball to improve the activities of other actors in the interest of the movement in the history of Japan.

Japan strongly nationalist in the years to come to Japan before the Second World War, major changes in baseball, but after the war, interest in baseball and entertainment has always been an integral part of Japanese life was.

Tags: Baseball, leisure activities, sports

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Add a tenth inning to the birthday fun with this photo thank you card.  This holds a party photo or sports photo of your little ballplayer on the front, and the blue background color can be changed to suit your photo or match a color of your favorite team.  This can be made into a flat or folded card, with the back/inside designed to match the front.  We can leave a large space there for your handwritten notes or print a thank you message there for you.

Tagged as: baseball photo thank you card, Basketball Photo Thank You Card, soccer photo thank you card, sports photo thank you card

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July 13, 2010

Personally, I think the Little League World series is a step too far for kids of that age. It’s a world stage that has too much pressure, too much of the limelight, and too much fanfare; the idea of no scoring in Little League games is ridiculous, but the World Series does seem unnecessary in my eyes. That being said, we still could use a decent baseball game for the younger generation. You know, an experience that doesn’t require much in the way of intricacy or an intimate knowledge of the sport; one that is more about fun and accessibility rather than technical aptitude. The Backyard Baseball series has definitely run its course – those titles have ceased to be satisfying long ago – so perhaps Little League Baseball 2010 can deliver the goods for parents and children alike. The good news is that it’s significantly better than the aforementioned franchise; the bad news is Now Production needs to iron out a few kinks before it becomes a wholly recommended purchase.

The graphics really aren’t bad at all. They’re colorful to the max and certainly cartoony, the players and characters have nicely animated facial expressions, and the special effects are passable for this type of game. The animations can be stiff and erratic, though; you’ll notice this when a fielder goes to field a fly ball that appears to be out of reach, and because there is no dive animation, the body just sort of zips under the ball. This leads to an annoying gameplay flaw that I’ll get to in a moment. Perhaps another problem is that we never really get a good look at the crowds and stadium surroundings. Most matches feel too much like a local Little League game rather than a World Series matchup, which sort of detracts from the overall sensation and presentation. But even so, the visuals are quite pleasant and such a boisterously colorful palette should leave a smile on the face of the targeted audience.

The sound is okay, but it suffers from a seriously repetitive announcement track and lackluster music. The effects themselves are all right, as everything from the simple sounds to the more advanced effects resound nicely in your ears. They can even shine when your star player smacks a moon shot or when the chatter of the crowd corresponds well with the actions on the field. But the announcer, while decent, doesn’t have anywhere near enough to say, as you’ll hear the same lines at least a dozen times over during one game. The music is also repetitive – albeit fitting – and one of these days, developers will have to realize that depth and variety are essential, even in regards to smaller, lower-budget productions. Perhaps the kids won’t mind, but to assume they won’t notice the lacking is doing them a disservice. Children can be pretty perceptive and while they’ll appreciate a lot of what this title has to offer, they’ll most certainly notice the announcer’s constant repetition and repeating music track(s).

Maybe it’s because I’m recalling three consecutive years of tremendously bad Backyard Baseball titles, but I actually had a fair amount of fun with Little League Baseball 2010. Its pick-up-and-play accessibility is relatively solid and reliable, the learning curve seems a touch steep for the intended age group but it remains entertaining, and the addition of a few interesting elements keeps the experience fresh. However, there are some definite flaws that unfortunately hamper the mechanics and overall gameplay, which really can’t be ignored. In fact, they even dominate the game, which means you’ll have to continually overlook such shortcomings if you wish to play for extended periods of time. It’s great that we can participate in a full tournament, earn Ability Points to distribute to our team or to individual players, and even use Cards to add a definite twist to the standard baseball experience. But we can’t just bypass the negatives.

Let’s get those out of the way now: first of all, you can choose between “Easy” and “Technical” settings for fielding and pitching, and while excelling on the Technical side of pitching yields rewards, it’s almost impossible to really get good at the Technical fielding. This is due to the mistake of choosing a perspective on defense that focuses on the flight of the ball rather than your own fielders. And because the fields are small and the ball travels very quickly, you rarely get a chance to position your defenseman appropriately. You really have to set the fielding to Easy if you want to get anywhere, and that’s a major issue. In the old-school Earl Weaver’s Baseball, the batting and pitching camera perspectives were the same, as they were when the ball was hit. But the camera view zoomed out to show the whole field from above after the hitter made contact, so you could have time to move your fielders to the right spot. You just don’t have the time here, and that's a glaring minus.

Then there’s the pitching, which is a little bizarre. You can select the type of pitch (two-seamer, four-seamer, or off-speed), and then the direction with the left analog. When the latter happens, the catcher will move his mitt in the intended direction, which would mean you’re aiming at that spot, right? But when the power meter comes up, and you perform perfectly and get the line to land in exactly the right spot, that ball will just end up going over the plate for a strike…regardless of the previously indicated direction. I suppose it still helps to confuse the batters – because it does seem to work out okay – but it’s still weird. Lastly, there’s the seemingly expert fielders; these are supposed to be Little Leaguers and they very rarely, if ever, commit an error. They can also cover an immense amount of ground, which means that hits and especially extra-base hits can be difficult to come by.

But really, the rest works out well. There are no hideously blatant miscues on the part of the development, in that outfielders can’t throw out runners at first base on a groundball through the infield, there are no severe balancing issues (i.e., a high four-seamer won’t always result in a strike), and you really do have to get your timing right at the plate. The inclusion of Cards, as I mentioned before, is kinda cool: you will earn some Cards that can be “played;” they’ll give you an extra out (or even a whole inning) to work with, give your batter a skill boost, or some other positive cheat. Of course, the computer can use these against you, too. Then there’s the ability meter that consists of three bars; once one of the bars is full, you can execute a special game-breaking skill; it lets your pitcher throw serious heat or gives your hitter a power boost. If you let it fill up all the way and your star batter is at the plate, hit L2 and it’s basically a guaranteed moon shot; i.e., tape-measure home run.

It’s too bad we don’t get a Home Run Derby but you can always play with a friend, the Tournament Mode is deep enough for the intended age group, the gameplay – despite the perspective failures – is definitely accessible, and you will feel quite satisfied with any given win. On the other hand, the downsides may prove to be far too much to handle, especially if you have a problem with repetitive sound, the inability to really get the most out of defense due to a development error, and the genius defenders that don’t let much of anything by them. It just isn’t as refined as it could’ve been and even kids will easily notice the problems, which is why the game falls short of the goal. Even so, it’s a darn sight better than the Backyard options and next year’s installment might end up being…you know, good.

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