The Babe Ruth World Series -©Copyright 2005 The Patriot Ledger

By JACK WEILAND
The Patriot Ledger

Two years ago, the legend goes, workers were finishing Adams Field just minutes before the first Babe Ruth tournament game began. Maybe even during the game, depending on whom you ask.

It was a frightening time in the City of Presidents.

This month, the Quincy Recreation Department re-sodded Adams Field to get it ready for the city's second run as host to the 14-year-old World Series.

No fear - the baseball field is fine. Perfect, in fact. Never been better.

"The tournament director was really nervous," Debra Horn, Babe Ruth's vice president of planning and development, said of that day in 2003. "The next morning, he called and said, 'You're not going to believe this - there's like 500 people working on this field all of a sudden.' They got it up. They got it going.

"I'm very pleased to say I don't have the same tense feeling (I had in '03)."

The Babe Ruth brass are also pleased that the pool-play tournament, a showcase of the country's top 14-year-old talent, is back in

Quincy so soon. Most Babe Ruth World Series (such as the 15-year-old tourney) are booked through at least 2011, if not longer.

It's just that 2003 - field issues aside - was such a raging success.

More than 58,000 spectators came to Adams Field, flooding the local economy with millions of dollars. Nearly every visitor - be it a Babe Ruth official, opposing teams, traveling fans or residents of Quincy - were thrilled with the results.

"Quincy just did a tremendous, tremendous job at the last world series," Babe Ruth president/CEO Steve Tellefsen said. "That's a credit to all the volunteers and also (Quincy Babe Ruth president) Dick Lombardi."

First, the volunteers. Nearly 200 people, from host families to ticket sellers to concession workers to organizers, offer time and energy to the World Series effort. It is not unnoticed.

"It's been a lot of people and a lot of hard work. The kids here are very fortunate we have a lot of people in the community who put in time as volunteers. I'm not talking about me; I'm talking about a lot of people."

He may as well be speaking of himself, though. After all, he's a big reason why Quincy was granted another Series so soon.

LISA BUL/The Patriot Ledger

Quincy's Alex Tragellis warms up for the tournament.

"I met Dick in 2001 when we came in to do our site inspection," Horn said. "It was very clear to us that Dick was organized, that he had some good leaders under him and that he was able to rally those leaders.

"Any time I called Dick with any concerns, Dick would say, 'I'm taking care of it. It will be done.' And I learned that when Dick gave me that assurance, it would be done."

Now, after years of planning and preparation, the event is only a day away. It's time for Quincy to shine.

"I can't tell you how many people came up and told me what a community I live in," Lombardi said. "When I was growing up, we never locked our doors. Everybody watched out for everybody else. That's what it felt like for those two weeks (in 2003)."

"I think it's your people," Horn said. "You can go to any city, and it may be a beautiful city, but if you don't like the people around you, it's going to lose its luster. Or, you can go to a city that doesn't look particularly attractive but love the people. Quincy is in that great situation where it's a beautiful city with great people."

The town is abuzz. Lombardi will deliver as promised. The generous volunteers are slated to offer their time. Even the field is ready.