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It's fun and games, emphasis on fun

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published August 26, 2006

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - His team was eliminated from the Little League World Series, but 13-year-old Landon Clapp didn't seem to care. He was enjoying a summer afternoon in the pool at "The Grove."

"Swimming was the most fun," the Columbia, Mo., pitcher said when asked about his favorite things associated with the event. He stopped to think for a couple of seconds before adding, "Other than the games."

With the outdoor pool, furious evening pingpong tournaments and enough arcade games to light up a large room, The Grove is the Little League World Series' equivalent to a big-league clubhouse. It is where players and coaches live, eat and relax in their off hours.

"All these kids think this is such a wonderful place, they want to be here forever," Kawaguchi City, Japan, manager Shigeru Hidaka said Friday through an interpreter.

Surrounded by an iron fence and security checkpoints, only players and coaches have unfettered access to the The Grove. Each team stays in a camp-style dormitory, with coaches in their own room and players sleeping on bunk beds in one large room.

The teams might want some rest. Columbus, Ga., plays Beaverton, Ore., today for the U.S. title. The winner advances to the World Series championship game on Sunday against the winner of today's international title contest between Japan and Matamoros, Mexico.

One building serves as the main social area with a cafeteria downstairs that has tables arranged in rows like those found in a middle-school lunchroom.

But this isn't a typical lunchroom: banners representing the different World Series regions hang from the ceiling. Along a wall are framed team pictures of each of the title-winners, dating back to the first World Series champions, from Williamsport, Pa., in 1947.

On Friday, most of the teams rolled into the cafeteria for breakfast with their eyes bleary and their hair a mess.

Most popular cereal? Fruit Loops. Most popular breakfast platter? Sausage and waffles smothered in jelly.

Beaverton manager Jeff Keller said he views The Grove as more than just fun and games. His players, like most at the World Series, interact with teams from around the world, learning different customs and exchanging pins.

"It's great up there, playing with all different kids. First of all, there's very little attitude," said Kawaguchi City pitcher Ryoya Sato. "Up until 10 p.m. at night, we are all up there playing together."

[Last modified August 26, 2006, 02:15:56]