To most folks the World Series is played in October, but down along the Ohio River, the Series is going on right now.
Up and down the highways and byways of Marietta are signs reading, "Go Get 'Em Etta Express," "Welcome World Series Teams" and "Series Fans Get a Fish Sandwich and Drink for $1.59."
The Marietta Times, which comes out just six days a week, published a special for Sunday, entitled "WORLD SERIES EXTRA."
Bars and resaurants are doing a brisk business. Two radio stations are broadcasting the games and street talk is about baseball.
"This is our Major Leagues," said one Marietta fan. "We love our kids and we love having teams come in from all around the country."
The NCAA Division III World Series is the cause of all this excitement. And, on Saturday afternoon ht host Marietta College Pioneers pulled off the greatest come-from-behind victory in the eight year history of the championship. They came from a 12-3 deficit in the seventh inning to a 13-12 victory over California State-Stanislaus.
After two innings Cal-State led, 8-0. Then when a Marietta batter coaxed a walk, he received a loud applause. An inning later, a pioneer singled the crowd of around 2,000 screamed its delight. It was sincere support and not the facitious kind reserved for the Indians when they get blown out on Lake Erie.
The series even draws its characters, including a gent named Ben. He sits behind home plate, accompanied by a large suitcase. Inside that case are more goodies than found at a candy store. He has cookies, ships, pretzels and assorted cans of soft drinks.
He lives in Parkersburg and hitchhikes to and from Pioneer Park. After nine o'clock Saturday night he was seen hitching a ride on the approach to the Interstate 77 bridge over the Ohio River.
"We may let Ben throw out the first ball next year," said Jim Meagle, President of the World Series, Inc. "He has been here all eight years. He is a real fan."
Meagle, who is in the first two years in the presidency, added, "It's definitely a community effort. Directly, there are 100 people involved in putting on the event and 300 indirectly."
"It's been a success this year. We had the best opening day crowd in history, almost 3,000. It's also the vest attendance after six games, averaging about 1,000 per game."
Marietta College Sports Information Director Bob Hollback also said this year's event has had the greatest media coverage, with writers here from North Carolina, Connecticut, California, Columbus, Parkersburg, and Cleveland.
And, after days of cloud cover, heavy rains and a parking area made of natural mud, the sun came out Saturday and gain yesterday. Even Mother Nature began to smile on the World Series.
The first five games of the World Series were decided by one run. The streak ended Saturday when North Carolina Wesleyan trounced Otterbein, 17-4... Montclair State, which was the first team eliminated, set a tournament record with seven errors in one game... N.C. Wesleyan first baseman Mike Deleone hit for the cycle on Saturday, with a single, double, triple and homer... N.C. Wesleyan set a one game mark with 22 hits in the victory over Otterbein. Marietta second baseman Jim Pancher tied a tourney mark with a five-hit game... Dino Hall, utilityman of the Cleveland Browns, played in three championships with Glassbore championships with Glassbore State...Three of the first five games were decided in the bottom of the ninth.