Umpire Gill: World Series a great experience

ALACHUA, Fla. & mdash; Five days ? 20 teams ? 2 umpires ? 63 games, and five three hour rain delays.That is what my first Babe Ruth Softball World Series consisted of.The experience was the single best umpiring event I have ever been a part of. It really did not hit me on how special this event was until the opening ceremonies when the announcer, in front of 3,500 people, announced “from Lynn Mass., Joe Gill.”When I heard that, I sprinted out in front of group of people that I was not familiar with and was greeted with a soft ovation. These are the people that I would soon be acquainted with, and who helped make my first World Series a huge success.After the first day or two, I was no longer called Joe or Mr. Umpire. Instead, I was referred to as Boston, for my thick Boston accent and my inability to pronounce the letter “R.”The people of Alachua were all so welcoming and did everything they did to make this event a success. It reminded me of Lynn because the community rallied together to support its children as they participate in athletic events. Time after time, we have seen the people of Lynn rally behind our children to give them the best opportunity possible. The Alachua community reminded me of the supportive community that I have known and loved in Lynn.As for the tournament itself, the games were amazing. I worked 15 games. Tuesday night, I was behind the plate for the losers’ bracket final game. The winner of this game went to the national championship and the loser went home. In a good battle, Pitt County, N.C., defeated Marshall County, Tenn., to advance to the National Championship to play Lodi, Calif.After the game the crew chief informed me that I would be working the national championship game. I worked second base in game one, which saw Pitt County win 6-5. In game two Pitt County came out strong and defeated Lodi by a score of 6-0 to win the title.During the course of the game, the press box made an announcement that it was dedicating a song to me. So, I listened closely and they played “Sweet Caroline” because of my love for the Red Sox.All in all, this tournament helped me grow not only as an umpire but as a person. I was able to meet so many great people ranging from the mayor of Alachua (yes, there had to be some politics involved on the trip) to each and every player.Everyone had a different story of why he or she was there and how they got there. It made me realize that even though people come from different walks of life, and may do things differently, there are some things that can unite people for a good cause and if you can learn something new from each person then you will be a better person.Lynn’s By Joe Gill umpired the Babe Ruth 12U World Series last week)