A WIN, A HISTORY LESSON AND SOME ICE CREAM


Today started with a game at a Naval Base in Santo Domingo so the boys got to experience the congestion and activity of the island’s largest city on our way to the game.  With a couple of days of baseball under their belts – and perhaps some sleep recovery – the game went extremely well and ended in a 12-1 win. Wyatt Daigle, Allie Muirhead and Jack Lobb – less than 48 removed their basketball season – did not allow an earned run in the game and pitched extremely well while the offense grinded out at bats, ran the bases well and delivered timely hits.  It was a long but fun morning of baseball that included an autograph session with a youth game on an adjacent field.  It was interesting to watch the youth players – probably Little League/Cal Ripken aged – play for hours without any adult involvement.   They essentially scrimmaged the entire time with impressive organization before a coach came down from the stands to lead some conditioning drills at the end.

After a quick lunch of fried chicken and plantains at the field, we continued onto the Colonial Zone, which is the Americas’ first European settlement following Christopher Columbus’s discovery of the island in the late 1400’s.  Many of the buildings built in the early 1500’s remain and we had fascinating tour from a friendly and entertaining local guide named Juan, who walked us through the neighborhood with several interesting facts.  Following a stop in a local souvenir store, the boys enjoyed some Haagen Daas ice cream before heading back to the resort. 






Today’s schedule afforded them some well deserved time to enjoy the beach and water in the late afternoon sun.  It is satisfying to see how well they interact and enjoying each other’s company.  Tomorrow will provide further perspective on the island as we’ll depart at 8:30 am for some community service/house paining in a remote village.


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