Opening Ceremonies

Dinner at Otesaga Resort.  Very old school, amazing views of the lake and awesome food!

Video of Blaze entering ball park

Sweat is literally pouring down our backs. Keep Smiling!

We are finally here--Cooperstown, New York!  The Glenview Blaze Red Team arrived Friday evening and officially checked into Barracks #17 at Dreamspark on Saturday morning.  The boys were excited to get their Cooperstown uniforms and set up their bunks.  Ok, so it was a little humid and maybe even downright sweaty at times but they didn't care as they put on their new shirts and headed out to do some pin trading.  About the pins, let's just say most of the teams have awesome pins and leave it at that.  Blaze is here to play ball, right guys?

After team pics and a late lunch/early dinner, the teams lined up for Opening Ceremonies.  It was a scorcher, but with the lush trees on the hills surrounding us, the setting couldn't have been more perfect as the teams processed into the park with their banners.  Before we get to that however, we should mention that the owner of Cooperstown made a very patriotic, occasionally graphic, and sometimes politically self-serving speech that got everyone in the right mood.  That was followed by Moms and Dads, who had been randomly selected from the stands, performing on the field to "New York, New York," "YMCA" and a host of American-themed ditties.  It was thrilling, believe me.  They had practiced for at least 5 minutes beforehand.  The Red Team was clueless to the fact that our own Tammy Lundal, Black Team Mom extraordinaire, had been hand picked by the owner himself and was out there kickin' it up with all the other hottties.  Thanks for the Blaze representation, Tam.  Oh, and let us not forget the trio of octogenarians plunging from the sky to deliver the first official Cooperstown baseball.  Plunging literally.  One guy face-planted his Grizzly Adams beard into the turf after he came down hard on his knees.  We all held our breath but everything was fine.  Apparently, this is the kind of excitement that happens every day at Cooperstown!

After the procession, we headed to the fields to watch the Skills Competitions.  We're still awaiting confirmation but apparently our own Will Jackson tied for 2nd Place in the Golden Arm competition. Awesome!  Matt Galanopoulos represented us in the Home Run Derby and the rest of the team participated in the Around the Horn competition.  Our boys looked really good out there!  We're excited about our first game at 8:30 Sunday morning.  Hoping the rains hold off so we can get in a win.

Stay tuned for more to come...game updates as well as how Dan Budorick managed to get half-dollar size welts up on the backside of his legs by Day 2 and a report on how the Jersey Shore Babes customized their Spirit Wear to emphasize their tans. You don't want to miss it!