Little League World Series plans to take solar eclipse in stride
The greatest solar eclipse in American history is headed straight for us, but the kids will play on.
The Little League World Series has plans for the event, which will be the first in Series history, even though the path of totality will pass south of its Williamsport, Pennsylvania, location on the afternoon of Aug. 21.
Still, even a partial solar eclipse must be respected, so organizers will hand out about 30,000 pairs of glasses, certified by the American Association of Ophthalmology as safe for looking at the sun, to fans who enter the complex.
Players and managers also will be given the glasses, which will not be worn on the field, Little League spokesperson Kevin Fountain told PennLive.com.
Both the Howard J. Lamade and Volunteer stadiums are lighted, so officials plan to turn on the lights to allow play to continue when the eclipse begins in central Pennsylvania at around 1:14 p.m.
It will reach the point of greatest darkness there at around 2:38 p.m. EDT, winding up at around 3:56 p.m.
Canada’s entry could be on the diamond at that time if it loses its opener against Europe-Africa (Aug. 17 at 5 p.m.) but then wins its second game against the loser of a battle between Latin America and Mexico.
The Canadian Little League Championship which will determine which team represents Canada wraps up this weekend with the semifinal and final games being shown on CBC-TV.
The semifinals go Friday beginning at 1 p.m. and the final is Saturday at 1 p.m.
As for eclipse day, there’ll be a full slate of games in Williamsport on Aug. 21, beginning at 11 a.m.
The tournament runs from Aug. 17 to 27.
And if it rains, well, that’s another matter.