(Warner Robins, GA) About 15 people went absolutely nuts in my den tonight when Dalton Carriker hit a shot over the right field fence in the bottom of the eighth inning to make our Warner Robins team the Little League World Series Champions. And I know the same thing happened in dens throughout Warner Robins tonight. And I have a feeling the same thing happened in many dens throughout the United States tonight.
I have been fortunate to experience many special moments in sports in my lifetime. I will put the accomplishment of this Warner Robins team up there with any of them. It was a team effort and they won with class and great sportsmanship.
The scene after the game tonight fully illustrates the class I’m talking about. The Japanese team was devastated and most were weeping as most 12 year old boys would after giving such a monumental effort and coming up short. The Warner Robins boys were hugging them and consoling them and congratulating them. Our boys realized that either team could have won that game and both teams were great to even be playing in it.
I felt the same way after the Lubbock TX game. I realize that Lubbock fully expected to win that game and I felt sorry for the kids that lost. They were 18 -0 in post season play going into the US Finals and they had tremendous talent up and down that lineup. They are truly champions.
But make no mistake about it – Ed Thorne, the Lubbock manager, is not a champion. In fact he is a jerk and the kids of that team and their families deserve better.
I began to realize just how much of a jerk he was when I heard a comment he made in the dugout after an inside pitch by a Warner Robins pitcher. I heard the word “payback.” The television announcer immediately said, “Did he just say what I think he said?” The pitch was a hanging curve ball and the batter turned the wrong way on the ball. There was no way it was intentional and the announcer said the same. Taking the high road the announcers never mentioned his comment again. Later in the game, Thorne came out to the mound when our pitcher was batting and was overheard telling the pitcher that this guy is the one who came inside on you. It was obvious the kid didn’t know what he was talking about. But the manager thought it was time for payback. I guess I need to remind you these are 11-12 year old kids he is talking about payback– not major leaguers.
And then when I read his comments after the game where he commented that his Texas team was better than Warner Robins (after losing 5-2) I couldn’t believe it. He went on to say that he saw better pitching in the regionals. And when asked to predict who would win the game between Georgia and the Japanese his answer was and I quote, “Japan will win that ballgame.”
Maybe his team is better than the Georgia team but they were not better that day. And maybe he saw better pitching in his regional tournaments but he didn’t lose to those pitchers but he did to ours. All he had to say is that his team came up a little short and they played a very good Georgia team and they wish them the best in the game against Japan and will be pulling for them. But he showed absolutely no class with his comments and I hope the parents of the great kids of Lubbock Texas noticed.
So when Dalton Carriker hit the game winning homerun tonight to beat a very great Japanese team after two extra innings of play, I jumped and yelled for two reasons. The first was because I was pulling for our team and I couldn’t believe they had won it all. They deserve all the yelling and screaming that was going on in our den and throughout our state tonight.
But the other reason I was jumping and yelling was because the boys of Warner Robins had proven the Lubbock manager wrong.
Make no mistake about it - the Japanese boys are winners and the Lubbock boys are winners. But the Lubbock Manager is a loser. And a sore one at that.
And whether Ed Thorne likes it or not, the boys of summer from Warner Robins Georgia are champions of the world. And this town will most definitely go crazy when they get home.
(photos from macon.com)
9 comments:
I heard about the comments from the Lubbock coach. He was a jerk. They had one dominating pitcher and were a good team, but Warner Robins was the better overall team.
It's a shame when the kids have more class than the adults.
Congrats to Warner Robins (I'm from south Georgia and live in Atlanta).
Here's his press conference, BTW.
http://www.littleleague.org/series/2007divisions/llbb/gamestories/25saturday/game30/interview/index.html
Wow ! That was something special.Yeah we went wild in my parents living room too.When the ball went over the wall I thrust my fist into the air with celebration right into the ceiling fan. That was great but to see the Japenese kids hurting and our kids going to them to console them with was special too.Thanks to the parents and coaches for instilling some character in our boys.I am sure they will grow up to be great men in our and other communitys.
I too went a little crazy when I realized that the ball was out of there. I am very proud of these boys and their coaches. I am most proud of them for going out to comfort the other team. This shows what these guys are really made of. You just can't beat good up-bring. (Bruce, ask Ms Jesse about that).
I'm so proud of these young fella's--not only for winning the game but showing the world their parents "raised them right". What a class act--truly Champs.
Sue
I'M GLAD CARRIKER KNEW WHERE HIS STRENGTH WAS. GREAT TEAM AND A GREAT SERIES. THEY DON'T COME ANY BETTER THAN GEORGIANS
I like Bruce and everyone else watching the game heard the manager for Lubbock say "payback" for a inside pitch against his player, but anyone who knows anything about the game of baseball, knows inside pitches are part of the game. I, too, like Bruce (and probably everyone else) think the Lubbock manager is a "Jerk"! (puttin it nicely) I'm just glad the players for Lubbock showed more sportsmanship than the (adult) manager.
Yes, it was amazing to see the up bringing these little men showed after a well played ball game.. I think they showed alot of class and especially their good southern up bringing for the way they comforted the losing (but winners) players for Japan.
In closing, I want to just say, "Way to go WRALL and CONGRADULATIONS!!!"
I just wanted to say Congrats to WRALL!! They did a wonderful job! The win and the great sportsmanship they showed made all of Georgia proud! I just want to ask, Where are the girls??!! They probably could have beat Japan in 6 innings if they had a few good playing girls on the team!! LOL Just thought I would add that being I am a girl and I LOVED to play baseball!! Still love the game!! It is dear to my heart!! Not to mention that is how I mostly relate to you, Bruce!!
I know exactly who wrote the last comment. She was one of the best second basemen I ever saw and could hang in there with any boy. She relates to me thru baseball because I coached her. I saw her and her husband (who I also coached) at a restaurant Friday night. My how time flies.. and although much time has passed, I'm just as proud of her today as I was 15 years ago...
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