One of the biggest losers in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak has been the sport of baseball.
One of biggest losers in the- wake of the corona-virus- outbreak... has been the sport- of baseball.- and yet... there's one league i- south mississippi that's on the- verge of doing something... eve- before major league baseball- does it... and that's play ball- the deep south summer collegiat- baseball league - is doing all of this, as a- first- year start-up... in the- midst of a- global pandemic... just a few - weeks away, from first- pitch... for the first time.- - nat ---> bat crack- "when i first started this a- month and a half ago, two month- ago, we were- expecting four teams, 80 kids,- nice and simple.
A month and a- half, two months later, - double what we expected."
- a simple case study, of supply- and demand... the deep south- summer collegiate league is - supplying hope... - and the chance to play- baseball... when there's- currently a larger-than-life- demand... for both.
- "college baseball in- mississippi, especially in the- south, has been needing - something - like this for a very long time.- and unfortunately, covid-19 has- been- an opportunity to make that - happen."- during a time when other summer- leagues are folding up, - due to the virus... deep south- has the distinct- - - - advantage, of proximity... and- not having to house anyone, - from out-of-town.
- the finished product will be- more than 150 players, with - college eligibility... ranging- from high school- seniors signed to play ju-co...- to n-c-double-a division i.
- take for example... pascagoula- high school and m-g-- c-c-c alum... now south alabama- - - - first baseman alden davis.
"oh,- i mean it's exciting not only - for me but for other players, - getting the - chance to play baseball again.- you get locked up in your house- for so long - months and you get a tweet or - something saying there's a- league coming up in - hattiesburg, and you want to- jump all over it."- starting june 13th... the eight- new teams will play one another- three times each... around the- pine belt and on the gulf - coast... leading up to a- championship series, in late- july.
- "i know myself, i like playing- to win.
So having a championshi- game- and an all-star game and all- that, it's something to actuall- play for instead of - playing in a league where you'r- just playing against each other- to play.
I think- the championship game really- sets it off."
- already sponsored by marucci- sports... deep south has a- clear path to success... if - given the green light, to take- the - diamond.- one remaining obstacle... the - - - - current limitation of social- gatherings... of more than 20 - people outside.
- another... being the m-h-s-a-a'- pending decision, on its june - 1st - re-start... which would allow - games to be played, at local- high schools.
- but assuming those are both - when's... and not if's... caver- - - - says... it's time.- i'm just happy we can do it for- the kids.
As a baseball coach,- i'm just used to baseball - 24/7, and it's kind of actually- humbling not being able to have- baseball.
You kind of - get used to it everyday and onc- it's gone, you kind of think- - - - back and wonder why did i take- it for granted?
But it's going- to be an awesome experience for- me, for the players,- the fans and everybody- involved."- - league founder and gulfport - assistant coach colton caver- will be one of the skippers...- alongside southern miss - alum and cleveland indians mino- league pitcher- kirk
It has been, still is, and probably will be a long road back to normalcy for all sports in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
