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Dale Elbeuf, who manages the East team from South Vineland, N.J., is eager to retire in Maine.
It’s not just the few days he’s spent here this week that made up his mind, and it’s not memories of last summer’s Senior League World Series.
Elbeuf, an avid hunter, has been coming to Maine for almost 30 years. He’s spent time in Greenville, Rockwood and Jackman, and his good friend Frank Ramelli owns Camp Wapiti on Shin Pond near Baxter State Park.
“You have Mount Katahdin in the background. It’s just gorgeous,” Elbeuf said after South Vineland played in the World Series opener Sunday afternoon. “I already know when I retire, I want to be in Maine.”
Ramelli helps hunters bag bears, and Elbeuf has spent time at Camp Wapiti as a cook and helping Ramelli bait the traps.
After last summer’s Senior League World Series, in which South Vineland went 2-2, Elbeuf and son Joseph, who is playing again this year, went north for a few days.
Joseph bagged his first bear, a 193-pounder, during the trip.
Curacao as inspiration
West representative Hilo, Hawaii took an optimistic approach to the finish of its first World Series game, an 8-2 loss Sunday afternoon to South region champ Virginia.
Hilo coach Hale Decker reminded his team of what happened to last year’s World Series champion, Latin America’s Curacao.
A team from Houston, Texas beat Curacao 11-5 in its first game, but Curacao won the rest of its games and eventually the final game.
“I told the kids, no problem. The team that won last year lost their first game and came back and beat everyone else,” Hilo’s Decker said after Sunday’s loss. “This team is that good.”
Protest goes by the boards
A protest was lodged by a winning team during the opening round of the Senior League World Series.
Urbandale, Iowa, an 8-7 winner over South Vineland, N.J., said the New Jersey team didn’t use all of its players mandated by Senior League policy.
A player must either get an at-bat or play in the field for three outs.
Tournament director Mike Brooker explained that if the Senior League hierarchy had ruled in favor of Urbandale, they would have been awarded a 7-0 forfeit win.
“One of the tie-breakers [following the completion of round robin play] is run differential,” said Brooker.
Brooker said Little League officials informed him that the score will stay as is because Urbandale won.
But the player in question, pinch-runner David Sanchez, has to start the next game and play the necessary three outs.
Ineligible helmets cause delay
There was a delay in the opener when South Vineland momentarily ran out of batting helmets.
“They [Little League officials] took out two helmets on me, one because it didn’t have a warning sticker on it,” explained South Vineland manager Dale Elbeuf.
“It’s an official rule. Another helmet had a little notch on it. So then I was down to four helmets. What are you going to do?,” said Elbeuf. “They let us use some other helmets so now I have to see if I can pick up another couple of helmets around town somewhere.”
The New Jersey team had the bases loaded and the first base coach must also wear a helmet.
The label on the helmet releases the Little League from liability in case a player gets injured.
Elbeuf speculated the label must have been eroded by the rain they have endured throughout their 18 postseason games.
Bob Stevenson honored
Bob Stevenson, District 3 Little League Commissioner, was honored for his service in pre-tournament ceremonies.
He has been involved in Little League baseball since 1957 and has been the district commissioner for 25 years.
“I must still enjoy it because when the players came marching into the ballpark, it brought tears to my eyes,” said the 70-year-old Bangor resident.
Hilo has been road warriors
Hilo, Hawaii, the West Regional champs, didn’t arrive until Saturday night at 10, according to Lester Bodallian, father of Kulea, who plays first base for Hilo.
Hilo had to win tournaments in Oregon and California and then had to wait an extra few days to catch a flight to Maine.
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