It's The Maine Attraction

One of the first things you notice about the crowds at Guides games is how excited they get over foul balls. But then, they've never seen anything like them—free baseballs. A foul ball ricochets off the seats, and suddenly children of all ages are oohing and aahing and scampering for the souvenir.

The crowds can only be described as ruly. They follow the instructions on the scoreboard to the letter—Noise, Clap, etc.—and they do not boo, not yet at least. They applaud every out and give extended ovations to pitchers who are removed, even if they haven't pitched very well. They are well dressed: L.L. Bean is open 24 hours.

The fans are also still learning. Says Sharon Cullenberg, a switchboard operator for the Guides, "When I told one man that there would be a 20-minute delay between games of a doubleheader, he asked if everybody had to go back to their cars during that time. I said no, but everybody has to buy at least four hot dogs apiece. And he said, 'O.K.' "

For a bunch of rookies, Kobritz and his people are running a first-class operation. Rival teams praise the playing field, which is under the supervision of Marc Collette. The concession stands are efficient. Indeed, customers are double- and triple-teamed by smiling teenagers in Maine Guides shirts and caps. Through last Sunday the Guides were second to Columbus in average attendance in the International League, with 2,800 a game, and this was before the tourists arrived in full force.

Ekelund, who was an Indian farmhand himself before he got into coaching and inventing (the Ekelund Base is a special indoor base used by high schools and colleges), says, "This is a little like summer theater for baseball."

It's a lot like summer theater for baseball. Where else can a fan get a tattoo, have his weight guessed, watch some very good baseball in a woodland setting, dance the night away and make a late-night foray to Bean's? What's a bite or two? Or three.

On Saturday, June 23, exactly one year after he broke ground, Kobritz watched the line of cars streaming in off T for Turn Road. The game against Pawtucket was a sellout, with fans from as far as Fort Kent, an outpost at the top of Maine. At least 1,000 cars had to be turned away. "The goal we had when we dug that first spadeful of dirt was met tonight," said Kobritz.

You can get there from here.