COLUMN: Asia Pacific stole the show at the Babe Ruth World Series

Asia Pacific took third place in the Babe Ruth World Series but the tournament was theirs from the start.

The Capaha crowd was enamored with how the team from Taiwan lined their gloves in a strait line during warmups, bowed their heads towards the home plate umpire before each at-bat, and most of all, carried themselves with a youthful enthusiasm that even extended to the other team.

Asia Pacific defeated the hosting Charleston Fighting Squirrels 8-1 on Thursday to send them off 0-4. Instead of being down, the home team congratulated Taiwan and took pictures with them immediately after the game.

“We talked to those Taiwan guys for like probably 30 minutes before the game started,” Fighting Squirrels infielder Owen Osborne said. “It was so fun. That was probably the highlight of my week, just talking to them.”

Leading up to the third-place game on Saturday, both Taiwan and Washington met for an impromptu dance contest beside the third base dugout. They were having the time of their young lives before battling for the bronze.

After Asia Pacific won 5-0 and celebrated on the mound, not only did some of the Washington players join them, but also some on the Tropics. Asia Pacific manager Feng-Yueh Chen said through an interpreter that the team culture is to work hard, not worry about the outcome, do their best, and treat everyone with friendliness and respect.

“Throughout the week we emphasized to this team to enjoy the process,” Asia Pacific manager Feng-Yueh Chen said.

The Taiwan program entered the 18U tournament for the first time without having to win a regional tournament to qualify. The team was invited by the league and proved to be a return on their goodwill investment. Chen said he's hopeful that next year, there will be more programs in Taiwan competing for the Babe Ruth World Series, and his team will earn their next trip.

Asia Pacific was named the sportsmanship team of the year, and rightfully so. They were the complete opposite of the team that defeated them in the semifinals. The Alabama Rawdogs became the villains of the tournament when six of their key players were ruled ineligible three games in because the team comprised of players who graduated high school a year ago and spent a year in college.

Everyone at Capaha Field rooted against the defending World Series champions because of the controversy, especially the players. I have been told by opposing players that the Rawdogs should've been disqualified for the controversy instead of just forfeting one game. Others complained about how they were treated by the Alabama players on the bench.

They were cheering, not for the Tropics to win, but mainly for the Rawdogs to lose. When the Tropics won, every player from the other teams who stuck around for the closing ceremony rushed to the mound to join in the celebration. Mason Adams, the Portageville graduate who was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player, celebrated with the Tropics while wearing the Australian cap and jersey he got from trading uniforms with a Drop Bears player.

The theme of the final day of the Babe Ruth World Series was celebration, players from teams all over America and the world celebrated baseball, celebrating fun, and celebrating being kids.

The only team being left out of the celebration was the team derided for having players who stopped being kids a year ago. The Rawdogs were handed second-place trophies during the closing ceremony and then tossed them into the newly re-constructed pond at Capaha Park.

It was an act of disrespect towards the city that was a gracious host to all participants.

There was a clear reason why everyone cheered Taiwan and jeered Alabama. For better and for worse, everything was earned.