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July 17, 2002

As we make our way down the schedule, we approach the most taxing part of the trip. And lugging heavy bags from bus to hotel is definitely not the most exciting part of each day. The good thing is that every day is a new look in a new city with a new host and a different team to play. From Connecticut to Maine and Maine to Rhode Island, we hop off the bus just long enough to get a game in and sign some autographs. All of these teams which are part of the NECBL (New England Collegiate Baseball League) play with the intent to impress their hometown crowd. They want the opportunity to say, "Hey, we beat Team USA." And of course, if we let that happen it would be a total disappointment. So each day we take the field with the sole objective of not giving the other team the "big head" if they beat us.

To make the trip worthwhile, each of the ballparks we play at in the Northeast has a little history behind them. Some of them are not the nicest ballparks but keep in mind, it's the audience that makes the play, not the stage. As we got to Lowell, Mass., the Vice Mayor spoke at our luncheon. He told us, "Tonight, you'll be playing at one of the nicest parks in the country if not in Massachusettes." Not too sure what that means, but anyway, he went on to say, "The only one better is Fenway Park." We got a kick out of his sincerity as he almost began to shed a tear. If there's one thing about all of these little towns, they are loyal to their teams, and they should be. We went on to win that game despite a little drizzly weather that lasted for the better part of the game.

Another neat field we played at was in Newport, R.I. The field in Newport was not very well groomed, but the atmosphere was great. The crowd was packed in the park with most of them on their feet waiting for us to make a mistake. We almost gave them reason to doubt the reliability of the athletes wearing the USA jersey. We squeaked out a 3-2 win, but more amazing than that, we did it by getting only three hits. The baseball gods were watching. Aside from baseball, Newport is certainly a place to visit if ever given the chance. The mansions owned by the Vanderbilts and other famous names surround the city and line the coast. Lots of old money keeps the town hopping, and the downtown nightlife is pretty entertaining. People flood the streets window shopping and checking out this old Navy town. By the way, we stayed at a Navy base and it was fun for a day, but I'm not sure our team could stay cooped up much longer than that.

Next stop, Ohio. And finally our bodies get a break from hauling equipment. Well, at least for a couple of days. We have a five-day stay in Ohio, which gives some of the guys a chance to relax on our down time. Another positive to being in Ohio five days was that lots of family members were able to make quick visits. Being on the road every day doesn't allow many families to come watch because we travel hours to play each day.

A big reason USA baseball goes to Ohio is because of Mr. Mills, owner of a magnificent ballpark. He is such a baseball fanatic because his son, Rock Mills, played at Pepperdine University and was drafted just this past year. Mr. Mills does a terrific job with providing our team with whatever we need and he topped it off with a nice banquet at his country club. Against Northern Ohio we fared well but won by few. At the end of a tough domestic schedule, a win is a win no matter how you get it. Unfortunately, we lost our last game on U.S. soil to the Great Lakes League All-Star team. It was a good game considering we were losing 6-0 going into the bottom of the ninth and we lost 6-5 with bases loaded. That game was one we need to erase from our minds quickly because international play is next and there's no time for fun and games. It's all business from here on out. Season No. 2 has come to a close and it's time to hop on a plane and fly over the little pond otherwise known as the Atlantic Ocean. Holland is the next stop. Wish us luck.