The 2012 Copper City Classic Vintage Base Ball Tournament Will Be Held March 24th and 25th
The 2011 Copper City Classic Vintage Base Ball Tournament was a success
The Friends of Warren Ballpark’s second Copper City Classic Vintage Base Ball Tournament was a success. Cranks (fans by 1860 parlance), players and volunteers all had fun and raised over $5000 to help fund improvements to the historic Warren Ballpark. Last year’s funds paid for the new grandstand netting on display at this year’s tournament.
We want to thank the ballists of the Glendale Gophers, Phoenix Senators and Bisbee Bees teams from the Arizona Territories Vintage Base Ball League who traveled from the valley of the Salt River to play in the tournament. The Bisbee Black Sox, the newest members of the league, brought a local flare to the tournament with players from Bisbee and Sierra Vista as well as Tucson. Particular thanks must go to the Busch family who helped organize the tournament and provided several players, a tally master, an arbitrator and an announcer. The help and guidance provided Shelby and Lance Busch before and during the tournament was especially valuable.
The teams played a round robin tournament. This meant that the cranks were entertained with six games of vintage base ball or two full days during which they enjoyed national America’s pastime as it was played in 1860.
The tournament honored ballplayers Ann and Bob Henry. Ann Henry was the star of the tournament. Her daughter Cheryl threw out the first pitch that was caught by her son Rob. The Friends were thrilled to have them at the tournament.
Pat Kelly of the Tombstone Vigilantes kept the players and cranks (fans) in line by officiating five of six games. John Everhart and Shelby Busch served as the tallymasters when in the tradition of 1860’s base ball a player rang a bell at the tallymaster’s table to indicate they “tallied an ace”(scored a run).
Mike Holland resplendent in period attire sang the Star Spangled Banner a cappella. We are grateful to the members Scout Troop #1 Justin and Kyle Holcomb, Anthony Wright and Robert Drake led by Kerry Feldman and Greg Linden for presenting the colors. The announcers, Lance Busch and Tom Nelson (www.shopbisbee.com) kept fans informed with play by play commentary.
Our vendors made sure that no one went hungry or thirsty. The Moose’s Hotdog crew, Barbara and Luis Chavez, Johnny Calhoun, and Ricky served essential baseball fare including hotdogs, bratwurst and nachos. La Ramada Restaurant served delicious hamburgers, barbecued ribs and brisket sandwiches.
Bisbee Unified School District was great to work with; making sure the field was chalked for the teams, opening and closing the field whenever we needed and answering all of our organizational questions.
The Friends are particularly grateful for our new partnership with the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life. They provided insurance and volunteers. The Friends support their search for a cure for cancer. We hope to continue this fruitful partnership.
Adding to the fun, a crew from NHK Cosmomedia Americas Inc. filmed the entire tournament for a documentary on Baseball in America to be broadcast in Japan. NHK is the Japanese equivalent of our Public Broadcasting System. Seizo (Steve) Nakanishi the show’s narrator also played ball enthusiastically on several teams.
A big tip of the tip of our base ball caps and a very loud “huzzah!” goes to the many volunteers that provided security, sold tickets and beer, ran raffles and planned the event. Everyone’s participation was valued. We could not put on a tournament without the ongoing members of the Friends committed and the additional volunteers who help at the tournament.