World Baseball Classic Diary - Fri 10th March - GB at Chase and Fan Meet Up
Friday 10th March - GB Train at Chase Field & Fan Meet Up
Today the GB Baseball team got their first look at Chase Field, their home for the next four games.
A shout out should needs to go to the all the coaches and support staff who are working tirelessly to help the players prepare for the World Baseball Classic.
Elsewhere more British baseball fans were arriving in Phoenix and the ones already here took the day to enjoy visiting the Spring training games of their fave teams.
Excitement of the day must go to Ian Blease who popped over to see Clayton Kershaw start for the Dodgers against the Angels.
It was a joy short lived as 22 gave up a bomb with only his second pitch.
Elsewhere, British fans took in the Cubs against the White Sox while others sought out the Rawlings store and Dicks Sporting Goods for some goodies.
Umpiring star John Baxendale actually got in a game. It was a game for players of Freshman/Sophomore age and JBax reckons the standard was around the best UK AA teams.
The evening was taken up by the Fan Meet Up at a typical English style pub aptly titled the George & Dragon.
It was amazing to meet fans who had travelled from the UK and Ireland as well as those fans who lived in the US and had made the trip.
There was a mother and daughter from LA and two women who went to over 60 Reds games every season.
A writer from Northern Ireland chatted at length to our very own Ian Blease while Russell and Gav from BFAN looked resplendent in their custom made jerseys.
It was also great to see Gavin Marshall, Paul Stodart, Will Lintern and Glen Robertson from the GB Baseball staff sharing their thoughts on the upcoming games.
We were also very luck to meet the parents of some of the GB players. The Ford family was there in strength chatting with fans while the Crosbys were just a delight to share stories with.
There were also members of various GB junior teams and their parents deep in conversation with British baseball lovers.
What stood out above all was the commitment and love in the team shown by the fans who had travelled far to witness this historic event.
Their love for all things British baseball and their visible pride in what GB Baseball has achieved was in plain sight.
They really have made this trip worthwhile and tonight they will get to watch their heroes do the whole country proud.
Richard Evans
