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The Brookline and Australian
12-Under teams gather near the pavilion for a photo after their
game.
On Saturday, August 20, 2017,
the Brookline 12-Under and 10-Under All-Star teams were treated to
an afternoon of exhibition games against international teams from
Australia and Dubai at Sam Bryen Fields. The games were arranged by
BLLA President Brian Vogel.
The chance encounter began
when Vogel received an email from Steve Fisch, an international scout
with the Boston Red Sox. Fisch brings two teams from outside the
country each year to Williamsport to watch the World Series. This
year the teams were from Australia and Dubai. He sends emails to
local leagues to see who is interested in playing exhibition games
with his visitors. This year the two leagues to respond promptly to
his requests were Brookline and Squirrel Hill.
The Brookline and Dubai
10-Under teams gather in the backstop for a photo after their
game.
After their time in Williamsport
was over, Steve Fisch and his kids flew into Pittsburgh for a couple
days of fun and excitement, including a Pirates game and some baseball
games versus local competition. Saturday the 20th was the day they
visited Brookline.
In the 12-Under game, the boys
from Australia beat the Brookline stars in a hotly-contested one-run
game. In the 10-Under game, the boys from Dubai cruised to an
eight-run victory. Afterwards each was given a shirt and a commemorative
medallion.
The games featured ballplayers
from six different countries: United States, Australia, Ireland, Venezuela,
Canada and the United Arab Emirates. The Dubai team was made up of kids
whose parents work in the oil industry.
This bright sunny day was about
more than just baseball. The parents from Brookline each brought a
dish to eat. A dunk tank and bounce house added to the picnic-style
atmosphere. It was a stunning display of international diplomacy,
Brookline-style, and everyone had a great time.
In a gesture of thanks to their new
friends from Brookline, the visitors gave each Brookline player a koala bear
and President Brian Vogel was given his own personal boomerang!
Click on images
for larger pictures.
 
 
 
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