By Matt Williams
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — His New England Regional champion Peabody West squad eliminated from championship contention at the Little League World Series and fresh off the raw emotion of a loss to California, manager David Batchelor did what any good baseball man would.
He sent his team to the roller coasters.
Peabody West took the day off in Williamsport yesterday, as the kids got away from nationally televised baseball and got to being regular kids. Most of the team drove about two hours to Hershey Park, while some spent the day at nearby amusement park Knoebels.
All in all, it was a refreshing afternoon for Peabody West, which got to recharge its batteries after a pair of tough losses in a series in which they've been outscored 24-1. Peabody is looking to bounce back and end their run with a win today when they face Great Lakes champion Russellville, Ky.
"Look at them, they're loose," parent John Layton said as his son J.J. chatted with some teammates and signed autographs. "Hopefully, that's exactly what they need to start hitting."
In truth, there's plenty to keep the kids smiling at the Little League International Complex, and especially in the International Grove, which is the players' paradise and home away from home.
Inside are the dormitory-style rooms, which each house two boys in bunk beds. They do have TVs — small, but good, joked catcher Traverse Briana — but the youngsters spend most of their time either in the pool or in the rec room.
The rec room features pingpong and video games. Matt "The Rat" Correale is the resident pingpong expert, routinely beating his Peabody West teammates and challenging kids from other squads. He does admit that J.J. is the best Xbox player on the team, though.
Some, like ace pitcher Matt Hosman, prefer to go out into the complex and take in a lot of baseball games. Sporting their player-ID badges and official New England caps when they do, the boys are mini-celebrities, asked for autographs and photo opportunities by young fans.
"Hoz loves watching baseball," Matt Correale says. "He's the quiet kid of the bunch."
One of the traditions in Williamsport is the trading of pins. Each team has its own designated pin, and they often trade it, or others they've collected over the years, with players from other countries.
Matt Correale has an entire book full of pins — some collected at the regional in Bristol, Conn. And others coming from Williamsport.
"There's a lot of trading, especially with the Latin American kids," Traverse said. "One of my friends traded for a toy from Venezuela."
They've also made new friends from across the United States and abroad. All the teams stay in the International Grove, so the boys interact with the kids from other countries regularly.
"I got an autograph from one of the Japanese players today, and that was really cool," Matt Correale said. "They don't speak a lot of English, but most of them can understand what you're saying."
Peabody West has also received a lot gifts from its time here, including new bats, gloves, jackets, caps and all-new catchers equipment for Traverse.
"It's like Christmas in August here," said the mohawk-sporting backstop.
With one game left, the kids from Peabody West are simply looking forward to sharing the field with their friends one last time. The pressure of the first two contests seems to have lifted off their shoulders, and they're focused on going out on a high note.
"We're really looking forward to the game," Matt Hosman said. "We just want to do it all one more time."
