Championships to be held in Manassas

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Published: July 22, 2008

By BENNIE SCARTON JR.

Teams coming to the 14th annual International Senior Softball Association World Championships in Manassas on Aug. 15-17 will be part of a milestone event.

The tournament will be the 20th world-class senior softball event conducted here which gave rise to the area becom-ing known internationally as the Senior Softball Capital of the World.

Teams from throughout the United States (and sometimes international locations) find this event to be a preferred destination to compete in senior softball.

With excellent softball facilities surrounded by many historical sites that were significant to the growth and devel-opment of the area, some players schedule in additional days to visit area attractions, including the Nation's Capitol.

"We are expecting 50 to 60 teams from all up and down the East Coast and as far away as California coming to our event," said R.B. Thomas Jr.," tournament director.

In addition to the 14 World Championships, Manassas has hosted six International Softball Federation Senior World Cups.

The World Cups were moved this summer from Manassas to the Roanoke Valley and will return there in 2009.

Thomas continued to serve as tournament director of the tournament.

"When the last out was rung up to conclude the seventh World Cup at Salem and the surrounding jurisdic-tions, the senior players on the 51 teams had been treated to a level of tournament management and support unlike anything most had ever witnessed before. The attention to detail to provide the visiting players an exceptional tour-nament was awesome. To begin with, the softball complexes used for the event were as good a quality and met a higher standard than most playing fields in the United States," he said.

Thomas said the Roanoke Valley set itself apart from the others with the field preparation throughout the tourna-ment. Each field was dragged, wetted and relined between games. Most dugouts had water fountains and restrooms in the dugout itself. The electronic scoreboards were operated by well-trained and experienced scorekeepers at each field. There were dozens of other behind the staff making sure the tournament was managed in a professional man-ner.

"That was a great tournament. Those were the best umpires that we've have ever had and the best fields we have played on and a very well run tournament," said Dave Yinger, a member of the 55 Class A Spicer's 33 l/2 from Manassas which won its division.

Thomas Engineering/Tanel 360 from Manassas also came back a winner in its division, 65 Class Major. The team has won the championship in its classification in about half of the 20 tournaments.

The World Championships will be played at the Valley View complex and the County Stadium complex and are free to the public.

"Manassas has hosted more national-level senior softball tournaments that any city in the nation. People from around the world know about Manassas and our tournament. Players have developed many friendships through the years," Thomas concluded.

Staff writer Bennie Scarton Jr. can be reached at 703-369-6707.