CARRYING BATS and dreams from Manila, the UST Junior Golden Sox proved during their weeklong Babe Ruth 18U World Series campaign in Florida that baseball has found its mark in the Philippines.
The Golden Sox carried the Filipino pride onto the world stage for the first time, facing international squads from Ocala (1–3), United Kingdom (2–8), Stamford (2–4) and Charleston (5–6) from Aug. 3 to 7.
Although ending up winless in the tournament, UST captain and left fielder Karl Mangapis and his teammates already realized a dream by simply stepping into the field.
“Na-achieve po lahat ang mga dreams po namin. Wala pong gustong matalo sa team namin. Malaking karangalan po iyon… Hindi lang po para sa amin ito, para po ito sa lahat po ng baseball players dito sa bansa,” the 17-year-old fielder told The Flame.
(We achieved all of our dreams. No one in our team wanted to lose. It was a great honor, not just for us, but for all the baseball players in the country.)
Flag bearers
The squad’s road to Florida was not a walk in the park. With less than two months to prepare, a typhoon disrupted their practices a week before the tournament, leaving them with limited training time.
By the time they endured multiple connecting flights to the US, fatigue had already taken its toll.
“My biggest takeaway is that preparation is really very important. And then, we also had to adjust to the place and the environment,” Mangapis said.
After their first loss against the home team, the Golden Sox realized that the fight was not just against their foes, but against the weight of their own expectations.
“Siguro may pressure po na hindi naman pala dapat namin bibitbitin. Simula noong unang namin talo doon nagsimula na unti-unti namin binibitawan ‘yung pressure,” he said.
(Maybe we were carrying pressure that we shouldn’t have brought with us. After our first loss, we slowly started letting go of that pressure.)
“Parang nakalimutan namin na bata palang pala kami, so nag-enjoy nalang po kami,” the captain added.
(It was like we forgot that we were still just kids, so we just decided to enjoy the game.)
Even in unfamiliar territory, the España squad found strength in the Filipino community that rallied behind them throughout the series.
“We are also thankful to the Filipino community. They were a big help and were really kind,” Mangapis said.
Global test
On the diamond, the Junior Golden Sox quickly felt the caliber of global competition. But rather than feel daunted, they saw proof that Filipinos could be right on par.
“We were surprised by the skill level of the players from the US. [But] compared to other players, I think Filipinos are actually stronger. We really can do it… it was just not for us,” “ Mangapis said.
However, what left the deepest impression, on him was how fully baseball was embraced abroad:
“It’s really very different. Here (in the Philippines), baseball is overshadowed… but in America, the sport is truly supported.”
Big changes
For the Golden Sox, the Babe Ruth World Series was only the beginning for bigger opportunities.
With boys’ baseball returning to the UAAP in Season 88 after a five-year hiatus later this year, the Season 80 champions hope their international journey will inspire a renewed passion for the sport.
“Big changes are coming. We will show that there’s more than just one sport in the Philippines. Baseball is still alive,” Mangapis said.
“Buhay pa rin ang baseball, (Baseball is still alive).” F
