|
|
Post by 44 on Aug 17, 2009 0:39:25 GMT 10
Saturday 15th On the bus at 9.00 am no games, sightseeing day. Our first stop was the Jade Factory. Then off to the Great Wall of China. We had some great photo opportunities to savor memories for life. Our wall walk commenced at the bottom of a Valley. It was a steep climb of around 700 steps to get to the second platform. Most of the players at least did this walk with some of the supporters doing enough to say they walked the wall. We spent around 90 minutes discovering and walking. My legs were like rubber when we got to the bus. Next stop was Cloisonne. This is where enamel vases originated back in the Ming Dynasty (1450). The vases are those big one you see in movies and were used originally for the royal families. We had lunch upstairs in a restaurant that offered more western style Chinese. After lunch we visited the Ming Tombs. This was a tranquil formal paved walk framed by statues and hedged plants and willow trees. The walk went for around 5 km. A number of players bought the trianglar Kooli Hats and Mao Zedong pony tail cap to capture the Chinese theme. On the bus and we headed back to hotel for a shower, meeting and Kangaroo Court. Mitch Stanbrook was awarded the daily tiara. We went to KFC for dinner, where I shared a romatic dinner with Cathy Gerber and Jaine White. We topped off the night with a Macca’s cone and a night walk home. Curfew 8.30pm! Westy's reports are deadset, ,,, top shelf. Let's hope the BQ team can get 1 or 2 more wins. Just hope his Missus does not read about the Romantic Dinner with 2 Other Woman at KFC.  Toilet and tap water reports, I can probably do without.. LOL. Coach Brock and Jaz have done an awesome job , along with Westy as XO. Even before the Tour is over, I think BQ and all parents should be very proud of all the BQ LL players and Coaching/XO Staff. |
|
|
|
Post by westy on Aug 17, 2009 0:50:00 GMT 10
Sunday 16th August
Went for my morning walk around 6.00am and the markets were already active. People were having their hair cuts on stools beside the road. The sports stadium across from the markets had around 150 kids in camouflage gear yelling in unison during their Kung Fu session.
The players had all slept well and are in great health. Today is another energetic rest day. Bus left at 9.00am to Tiananmen Square. The Square was temporally closed when we got there, so we walked around the parliament house prescient overseen by military soldiers. Once we returned the square had reopened. The place was packed as it is Chinese school holidays. Numbering off became a more frequent occurrence. We walked from the Square to the Forbidden City. Whilst in the city the kids took time out to have their silhouettes cut into paper by a street hawker.
We did a fair bit of walking and to break the trek the players had a competition on how many local girls they could get a welcome kiss on their cheek. Their lead in was in Chinese. Scott Cronan got into double figures and we headed back to the hotel to refuel and a quick rest.
The afternoon saw us back again to Silk Alley. The players and supporters were armed with a list of must gets and had their bartering plans down pat! The players all combined their previous outings knowledge and knew the local lowest prices on shoes, sunglasses, watches and shirts and consequently worn down the venders to get every last Yuang for their money. Laden with our goods and chattels we went to dinner, then onto an outstanding Acrobatic show.
Players in room at 9.45pm. Double header tomorrow! Probably not the best preparation, however it is difficult to trade the cultural experience in the amount of time and the things on offer in Beijing. They don't have sheep stations in China!!!!!
Lets see what tomorrow brings on the field! Everyone is getting on so well.
|
|
|
|
Post by westy on Aug 17, 2009 20:47:17 GMT 10
We won the first game 11-12 in a nail bitter! We needed to win the last game to win tournament.
Won last game 3-1 in a nail biter!
Game reports to come!
4 win 2 loses got us over the line.
Off to Beijing Hard Rock Cafe to celebrate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
|
|
stlc
Tee Baller
Posts: 2
|
Post by stlc on Aug 17, 2009 21:05:04 GMT 10
Congrats to all of you what a top effort....I cant wait to here all about it when you get back.
I am sure everyone will enjoy themselves tonight at the Hard Rock Cafe....QLDER
|
|
bc96
Tee Baller
Posts: 3
|
Post by bc96 on Aug 18, 2009 5:31:33 GMT 10
nice work guys keep it up i hope you guys can come bak and tell me all about it
|
|
|
|
Post by westy on Aug 18, 2009 10:23:57 GMT 10
Game Report Cards
Winning Team: Baseball Qld
Game 5.
Team 1 2 3 4 Hits Runs Errors
V Beijing Polytech 3 0 2 6-8-11-3
H Baseball QLD 40 71-12-12-5
Game Summary:
• Mitch Stanbrook single 1st
• Brandon Michie single 1st
• Daniel Butcher grand slam home run over the wall.
• Mitch Stanbrook single in 2nd
• Mitch Stanbrook single in 3rd.
• Daniel Simpson double in 3rd
• Thomas Johnson single in 3rd
• Lachlan Bradley double in 3rd
• Alex White single in 3rd
• Polytech tie the game at top of 4th innings
• Jack Raverty doubles in 4th
• Nick Boys single gives team walk off win in 4th
• Errors our biggest problem
• Pitchers Alex White an Taylor threw strikes!
Date: 17.08.09
Start time: 1.30pm
End time: 2.50pm
|
|
|
|
Post by westy on Aug 18, 2009 10:28:13 GMT 10
Game Report Cards
Winning Team: Baseball Qld
Game 6.
Team 123456HitsRunsErrors
V Wanquan 0001-4-1-1
H Baseball QLD 003X-4-3-0
Game Summary:
• A win will give us the tournament champions!
• Jack Raverty doubles in 1st innnings.
• Brandon Michie takes a spectacular diving catch in outfield to save two runs.
• Corey Roulant singles in 3rd innings.
• Daniel Simpson single in 3rd
• Jack Raverty doubles scores 2 runners in 3rd
• Wanquan make pitching change from one 6 foot to another 6 foot pitcher throwing at 70mph.
• John Cronan makes a great catch at short stop in 4th innings.
• No errors made it easy.
• Daniel Butcher was outstanding on the mound.
• Finished tournament with 4 wins and 2 loses.
• Tournament Win!
Date: 17.08.09
Start time: 3.20pm
End time: 4.50pm
|
|
|
|
Post by westy on Aug 18, 2009 10:29:58 GMT 10
Monday 17th August
Woke up to morning rain which was not what we wanted for our game day double header. The rain eased for us to visit the Olympic Birds Nest and Water Cube. They are outstanding buildings and a great legacy from the Olympic.
We then drove to a new playing venue not far from the Birds Nest. It was a soccer/softball complex. Their was four artificial fully light soccer fields as well as two grassed deco softball and T/ball field. The softball field we played on, had the view of the Birds Nest as the back drop right field.
The rain had stopped and the clouds and smog made playing conditions quite cool. We eat subway at the grounds and the team were good to go! The first game was a nail biter with errors our biggest opponent. They managed to gain composure and win their game. One of our supporters had texted Brisbane Radio station 4BC and we had a live cross on Mike Smith’s program, with intermittent score updates.
It all came down to their final game and the Chinese again tried to intimidate with two of their pitchers over six feet! It was a low scoring defensive game and for the first time the team made no errors and managed to push runners around the diamond to win 3-1.
We celebrated and doused the coaches with water packed up our kit for the last time and went back to the hotel for a shower and enjoyed hamburgers and steaks at Beijing Hard Rock Café.
Later, at our team’s awards ceremony we reflected on our achievements. Best pitcher (Jack Raverty), Best Batter (Daniel Simpson), MVP (Daniel Butcher). The team also presented the staff with gifts they had purchased form silk alley. Importantly, we reflected on what we had done off the field and how special the tour had been with the friendships we have made and our knowledge and appreciation of another culture.
We finished with kangaroo court and Griffin Blaskovich received the final coveted award. We remindered him that he would have to wear the tiara all the way home to Brisbane.
The players finally got their late night and had until 10.00am to sleep in!
|
|
|
|
Post by JRA Qld2 on Aug 18, 2009 17:41:44 GMT 10
Heard you on 4BC this afternoon, good to hear a lot of callers call in and congratulate
|
|
|
|
Post by 44 on Aug 18, 2009 17:55:26 GMT 10
Heard you on 4BC this afternoon, good to hear a lot of callers call in and congratulate A HUGE congrats to all the boys, Brock+Jaz+Westy ... superb result and a great team effort by all concerned. |
|
|
|
Post by 17starter on Aug 19, 2009 20:31:49 GMT 10
Well Done to all players and coaching/ EO staff..
|
|
