The NMI senior and big league All-Stars left at 5 this morning for Jakarta to follow the junior division defending champions who left yesterday morning along with the major All-Stars who were bound for Surabaya, Indonesia.
District administrator James Ada said Lt. Gov. Eloy Inos, through the great effort of Vice Speaker Felicidad Ogumoro and Rep. Ray A. Tebuteb, R-Saipan provided the funding which although a bit less than the amount needed was good enough to bring all the NMI’s young baseball players, their coaches and managers to the Asian country for this year’s regional tournament where the Asia-Pacific Little League teams will make their way for the World Series.
The NMI Little League earlier met with the parents to inform them about the lack of funding for the All-Stars trip to Indonesia. The NMI All-Stars needed $157,000 to make it there.
Less than a week to the regional tournament’s opening day, Ada, along with former Saipan Little League president Mike Borja and other NMI baseball youth officials met with Inos and the lawmakers seeking for money for their trip.
The lieutenant governor and the lawmakers were able to tap funding from Saipan and Northern Island Legislative Delegation and provided the needed funding.
The funding obtained, Ada said was enough only to bring the players and the team management to the regional tournament and provide for their complete uniform. The umpires and other NMI Little League officials who traditionally accompany the All-Stars will not be able to go this time.
The NMI All-Stars, Ada said also got support from the two businesses—the Pacific Trading Company and the Jets Holdings.
The NMI Little League family, Ada expresses sincere gratitude to the Pacific Trading Company who provided the All-Stars caps and shirts, and Juan Santiago and Elizabeth Tenorio of Jet Holdings for the printing of logos and names on the caps and shirts.
Ada also gives especial thanks to Saipan Little League treasurer Walter Macaranas and senior league coach, Syl Ada and Piding Tenorio who is celebrating her birthday today.
Macaranas, Ada and Tenorio, Ada deserve a big round of applause for their untiring dedication to NMI’s Little League. They were the ones who worked really hard to make everything in place to help NMI’s Little League get ready for the regional tournament.
“I salute them for the job well done,” Ada said.
