Former Boston Red Sox player Jason Varitek reveled in 1984 in all the quaint traditions that make the Little League World Series a throwback to the simple days of playing baseball. He traded pins, met kids from other parts of the US and around the world.
Varitek and his teammates played table tennis and Wiffle Ball tournaments and, of course, there were the cardboard box sled rides down the hill behind the Howard J. Lamade Stadium in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where Taiwan are represented this year in the Little League event by Taipei Municipal Fulin Elementary School.
“The whole atmosphere Williamsport brings, it’s just phenomenal,” Varitek said. “The excitement, the buzz, it’s all amazing. And that was back when there was only one game on TV.”
Photo: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY
“The community, the people that go there to support that series in the final game, and all the games, is what makes it so unique. It’s a high-intensive gathering of baseball fans.”
For most 12-year-olds, reaching the pinnacle of youth baseball is as good as it gets in a playing career.
Varitek is one of the fortunate ones. He led Altamonte Springs out of Florida to the 1984 US championship, took Georgia Tech to the College World Series and, most notably, helped the Red Sox win the World Series in 2004 and 2007 as a tough and savvy catcher.
Now Boston’s game-planning coordinator, the 50-year-old Varitek is headed back to where he burst through on the national scene when the Red Sox play the Baltimore Orioles tomorrow morning Taiwan time in the fifth MLB Little League Classic.
The game is played at 2,366-seat Historic Bowman Field in Williamsport, just a few kilometers from the complex where the Little League World Series is under way with kids full of big league dreams, many of whom are to attend the MLB game ready to mingle with today’s stars.
“I heard some of the kids are going to be riding on the bus with us to the field,” Orioles outfielder Austin Hays said. “I’m sure that’ll be a cool experience. We’ll see what kind of questions they have for us, what kind of cool stuff they have for us. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
ESPN has promised all the added features that make the game a more appealing watch to kids. Much like other US Sunday night telecasts, it is expected to include a player wearing a microphone to talk to the broadcast booth. There is also an all-kids broadcast team on ESPN2.
“I’ve never been there. I’ve watched the Little League World Series since I was a kid,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “I remember that Saturday afternoon. I’d watch growing up. To be able to go to see what it’s all about is cool for everybody.”
“We always need to reconnect and grow our sport,” Varitek said. “It’s dying in the youth level compared to what it was 20, 30 years ago. We need to do our job in promoting that.”
On Friday, Anthony Santander hit one of five homers for the Orioles and drove in four runs as Baltimore outslugged the Red Sox 15-10.
Jorge Mateo, Adley Rutschman, Ryan Mountcastle and Ramon Urias also connected for the Orioles, who had combined to score three runs in their previous two games, both losses.
This time, the Orioles scored three runs in the second inning, three more in the third, four in the fourth and five in the fifth — after the Red Sox put up a five-spot in their half of the fifth to get within 10-9.
Baltimore’s 15 runs were a season high, and the teams combined for 37 hits, with the Red Sox outhitting the Orioles 19-18.
However, none of Boston’s hits left the ballpark, while all but one of Baltimore’s homers came with at least one man on base.
Mateo got the Orioles rolling with a two-out, three-run shot to left in the second off Kutter Crawford (3-5) that made it 3-2.
Baltimore moved within 1-1/2 games of the Tampa Bay Rays for the final American League wild-card spot.
Nick Vespi (5-0), the third of six Orioles pitchers, got the win, allowing one run in one inning.
Additional reporting by staff writer
In other games on Friday, it was:
‧ Athletics 2, Mariners 10
‧ Braves 6, Astros 2
‧ Cubs 8, Brewers 7
‧ Diamondbacks 1, Cardinals 5
‧ Dodgers 2, Marlins 1
‧ Guardians 5, White Sox 2
‧ Padres 3, Nationals 6
‧ Phillies 2, Mets 7
‧ Pirates 5, Reds 4
‧ Rays 2, Royals 3 (10i)
‧ Rockies 7, Giants 4
‧ Tigers 0, Angels 1
‧ Twins 2, Rangers 1
‧ Yankees 0, Blue Jays 4
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