On one field, Alabama faces the Bahamas. A few steps away on another field, it is Japan against Northern California.
“Everybody can come together during this sport, which is pretty cool,” said Team Laguna California player Ethan Morgan-Voyce.
“Baseball is a universal language,” said his dad and head coach, Jason Morgan-Voyce.
It’s this sport that brings together 12U baseball players from all over the world to play in the Cal Ripken Major 70 World Series hosted in Branson.
Belgium players state that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, while coaches from Japan call it a ‘Baseball Disneyland’.
“Interactions we’ve had with other teams and players and countries that we typically would not have gotten in Eastern North Carolina is phenomenal,” said Team Southeast Head Coach Brad Sikes.
It’s also growing the game. Baseball is not common in Belgium, but these players have aspirations to be like their favorite player, Freddie Freeman.
“It’s what it is all about: Learning,” said players from Belgium.
On the other hand, the Bahamas know what growth and success looks like out of this Babe Ruth Baseball League.
“Hope to be apart of more tournaments and continue to see them grow and shine like Jazz Chisholm, Lucius Fox and Chavez Young,” said Team Bahamas Head Coach Gregory Burrows. “Some big names who played in the the Babe Ruth Tournament in 2010”
The aspirations for the game, the jersey swaps and the pin trading, it’s all part of this World Series experience.
