By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Tonight at Thomas Stadium the Niles Senior Baseball All-Stars will be honored before departing for the Little League World Series in Bangor, Maine.
Niles earned the right to represent the Central Regional with a 3-0 victory over Iowa on Wednesday night in Peru, Ill.
The All-Star team went 6-0 at the Central States Regional to capture the championship.
Niles has also captured district, sectional and state champions en route to Bangor.
Tonight's send-off will begin at 7 and feature a short program according to Rick Olinghouse of the Greater Niles Baseball League.
Leaving for Maine
The team will actually depart Niles around 3 a.m. Saturday morning bound for Chicago's O'Hare Airport.
The team is scheduled to leave for Bangor at 5:45 a.m. and stop in Philadelphia, Pa. before finally arriving in Portland, Maine at 12:55 p.m.
Paying their way
Little League Baseball is paying for the trip to Bangor as well as lodging and meals.
The team will be staying in a Holiday Inn in Bangor and will be fed breakfast at the hotel and then lunch and dinner at Mansfield Stadium.
The tournament
The tournament will begin with opening ceremonies on Saturday night, with games slated to begin on Sunday.
Niles will play its first game on Sunday at 8 p.m. The All-Stars will take on Latin America.
Niles is competing in Pool B against Europe, Latin America, the East and Southwest Regionals.
Niles will play on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.
Each team has an off day and Niles will getits on Wednesday.
On the off day, the team will visit some of the local sites.
Niles will wrap up pool play on Thursday night against the Southwest Regional champion.
The semifinals will be conducted on Friday at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
Awards banquet
All the teams will take part in the awards banquet at 7:30 p.m.
All teams will be recognized at the banquet and receive their awards, except for the two teams playing in Saturday's (Aug. 18) championship game.
Tickets for families and fans are $25.
Mansfield Stadium
Mansfield Stadium was built in 1991 through the donation of Bangor resident and best-selling author Stephen King.
The stadium cost $1.2 million and is located at Hayford Park.
It was dedicated to Shawn Mansfield, who died of cerebral palsy.
The stadium is completely enclosed by a five-foot fence in foul territory and an eight-foot high outfield fence.
The stadium's dimensions are 330-feet (left), 375-feet (left- center), 400-feet (center), 375-feet (right-center) and 330-feet (right).
Television coverage
The championship game will be televised live on USPNU and tape delayed on ESPN2 on Aug. 30 at 2 p.m.
The umpires
Here are the umpires who will be working the 23-game series:
Tom Barber, Richardville, Va.
Mike Brigle, Humble, Texas
Fred Bristow, La Palma, Calif.
Barry G. Danton, Langley, B.C., Canada
Luis A. Gallardio, Fontana, Calif.
William Haflin, Bloomfield, Conn.
Kevin Henderson, Rockland, Mass.
Charles Archibold Joseph, Panama
Kraig Max, Alberquerque, N.M.
Jerry L. Millage, Muscatine, Iowa
Ron Scharf, Arcadia, Fla.
Marvin Stella, Wausau, Wis.
Team colors
Niles will be representing the Central Region and will wear red and navy blue uniforms with a red hat.
The Champions
Senior League World Champions
1961 – Natrona Heights-Natrona Heights, Pa.
1962 – West Hempstead-West Hempstead, N.Y.
1963 – Del Norte-Monterrey, Mexico
1964 – International-Massapequa, N.Y.
1965 – Del Norte-Monterrey, Mexico
1966 – East Rochester-East Rochester, N.Y.
1967 – Westbury-Westbury, N.Y.
1968 – New Hyde Park-New Hyde Park, N.Y.
1969 – Airport-Sacramento, Calif.
1970 – West Tampa-Tampa, Fla.
1971 – East La Habra-La Habra, Calif.
1972 – Meiho Pingtung-Chinese Taipei
1973 – Taipei-Chinese Taipei
1974 – Ping Tung-Chinese Taipei
1975 – Meiho Pingtung-Chinese Taipei
1976 – Meiho Pingtung-Chinese Taipei
1977 – Hau Hsing-Chinese Taipei
1978 – Jong Kung-Chinese Taipei
1979 – Tung Feng-Chinese Taipei
1980 – Ping Tung-Chinese Taipei
1981 – Georgetown-Georgetown, Del.
1982 – Golita Valley-Santa Barbara, Calif.
1983 – Mei-Ho Ping Tung-Chinese Taipei
1984 – Altamonte Springs-Altamonte Springs, Fla.
1985 – Ping Tung-Chinese Taipei
1986 – Taipei-Chinese Taipei
1987 – Athens-Athens, Ohio
1988 – Taipei-Chinese Taipei
1989 – Ping Tung-Chinese Taipei
1990 – Ping Tung-Chinese Taipei
1991 – Ping Tung-Chinese Taipei
1992 – Ping Tung-Chinese Taipei
1993 – La Vega-Dominican Republic
1994 – North Brandon-Brandon, Fla.
1995 – Dunedin National-Dunedin, Fla.
1996 – Coquivacoa-Maracaibo, Venezuela
1997 – San Francisco-San Francisco, Venezuela
1998 – Diamond Bar-Diamond Bar, Calif.
1999 – Kissimmee-Kissimmee, Fla.
2000 – Curundu-Panama City, Panama
2001 – Palm Harbor American-Palm Harbor, Fla.
2002 – Curacao, Dutch Antilles
2003 – Hilo, Hawaii
2004 – Freehold Township, N.J.
2005 – Urbandale, Iowa
2006 – Falcon, Venezuela