Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2009 12:14:52 -0800 (PST) From: T H <ref_sport@yahoo.com> Subject: SUMMER BASEBALL (TOURNEY 4, PART 1) SUMMER BASEBALL 4.1 ----------------------------------- WEATHER --------------- The game of baseball is dangerous enough even in the best of conditions. Weather is the one variable in running a baseball tournament that we have no control over. Some sports such as soccer, and American and Canadian football, play in any elements except for lightning. For baseball, player safety is a major concern when it comes to rain. The infield area of a baseball diamond is either partial grass and dirt, or all dirt. Depending on the composition of the dirt, it will be able to absorb rain in various amounts. The pitchers mound is in essence a small hill raised above the rest of the playing surface. The traction supplied by dry dirt helps the pitcher throw the pitch. Not only is it impossible to control a baseball if its soggy and rain slickened, the ball becomes heavier and a seriously deadly weapon. So too, if the pitcher's footing is bad at the rubber, it will be nearly impossible to tell where the pitch may go after release. The part of the mound closest the plate is called the landing area. This is where the pitcher ends as the natural momentum of his body follows through with the pitch. If the landing area is wet, he will slip and fall, or worse injure himself. The batters boxes also become potentially dangerous if wet and muddy. Here again, traction with the dirt is important in the mechanics of swinging the bat. Even in the best of conditions, you never know where the ball will go once hit . Add sloppy footing and you have a potential disaster waiting. Professional ballparks have all the right tools to ensure games can be played if at all possible. The playing surfaces are meticulously maintained year-round. These facilities have an astonishing number of paid grounds keeping staff and a substantial financial investment in equipment and tools. Our committee has spent years cultivating relationships with the best playing facilities in the area. These include municipal, youth league, high school, and college ballparks. These better facilities have people that know how to maintain their parks with the limited resources they have. People who are dedicated enough to volunteer the countless hours year-round that it takes to make a ballpark the best. Our role is to assist these people to prepare their diamonds for our use. And help repair them after each game. Most importantly, to respect their efforts and appreciate their hospitality. For these facilities do not charge us to play there. We are their guests. So it is critical to develop and nurture the goodwill it takes to continue having use of their parks. That is why Carl and the committee dedicate the resources of manpower and materials that we do. This goodwill is just one reason why we have site directors (SD's) . Our hosts know we are volunteer. But they also see quality in our organization. And because of our efforts, they continue to allow us use of their facilities. Quality of the playing facilities is one reason we can attract better teams from longer distances. Good consistent umpiring is another. A team does not want to travel hours and hours, pay the rather significant tournament entry fee, and not have the comfort that we are providing quality facilities and umpiring. These efforts, among many others, are why the committee can anticipate teams returning summer after summer. I am told we see players every year, starting as 9yo's until they turn 18. We see many of the same coaches year after year, although they may be working with boys of different ages. And we see the same families annually as their sons mature. We have been blessed this summer with good weather. It has rained throughout as is the norm for this part of the country. The weather gods merely seemed to schedule this rain for days we were not playing. When teams travel, they want to play. Players want to play. Coaches want to coach. Umpires want to umpire. Families want to relax and enjoy seeing their sons play, since they've made the substantial commitment to travel...not sit around the hotel. The internal workings that it requires to host quality tournaments are invisible to the casual observer. But the trained eye sees these things and can truly appreciate them. *********** Stay tuned!