Checking in with Vanderbilt, Michigan — population 500 — ahead of Vanderbilt-Michigan

Talk about mixed feelings for this College World Series championship, what about a certain village 50 miles south of the Mackinac Bridge?

Vanderbilt, Michigan.

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Wonder if the town is torn by Wednesday night’s climactic game between Vanderbilt and, uh, Michigan? 

“I saw it on TV, so I did know it was happening,” Annamarie Deeter was saying on the phone Wednesday afternoon. She’s the town clerk. She’s not the world’s biggest baseball fan, but she’s sure other residents must have caught to what's happening in Omaha, since college sports can be big in the area.

“We are big green and blue fans up here. Kind of a 50-50 percent between Spartans and Michigan.”

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How about the other official in the room Wednesday, town treasurer Teri Cherwinksi?

“She’s a baseball fan,” Deeter said. “She watches the Traverse City Pit Spitters. And the Tigers.”

Anyway, when the ESPN broadcast came on Wednesday, the announcers were going to be using the phrase Vanderbilt-Michigan, and Deeter thought that was kind of neat. “I’m going to call my friends and families from out of state and make sure they tune in to see this,” she said.  “I’m actually going to be in a board meeting, too, so I’m going to have to miss it but I’ll make sure somebody records it for me.”

Here’s a quick synopsis of Vanderbilt, Michigan, courtesy of the town clerk.

“It’s called the Gateway to the Pigeon River. A lot of people come up here vacationing because there are so many rivers and streams. You would know if you’re traveling in northern Michigan, if you start getting to the rolling hills and the beautiful colors in fall, that’s where we are.”

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Population? “Between 450 and 500, give or take.”

Any famous people? That took a minute of thought. “You know what?” she finally said, “there’s a family here traced back to royalty.”

Stoplights in town? “Actually, we have a blinking light.”

One last question. Here on the Michigan map, this can’t possibly be right, can it? There’s really another nearby town called – this is too rich, with the championship game at hand  -- Wolverine?

“That’s the next village up. Probably about 11 miles.”

So they’ve got both College World Series sides covered in that neck of the woods.

“We send them our best,” said the clerk of Vanderbilt, Michigan.