The Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-08-31, Page 45The 9th year was 1977
What they said about
last year's ball tourney
The—ninth annual Labor- 1977 Gerry DuTsf
Day--Fastball q-ourtram ent- in 1VIonday -night -thar the- gate
Goderich enjoyed a banner had taken in $2,700 which
year this year shattering . translates Lo 2,700 people
several re,cords, some im- paying to see the action.
pressive and some not so Considering the people that
impressive, during its three slipped by the executive's
day tenure. The three day security to catch the action
event which features non stop free, plus the players and
fastball action 12 hours a day managers who received free
across the long weekend was passes, an estimated 4,000
wrapped up Monday night people may have been to the
when "A" champion-Petrolia park at one time or another
Finnegan's Hotel durnped during the weekend.
"B" champion Wingham in
the tourney grand cham-
pionship game.
That game established the
first of several records set
during the weekend. The win
by Petrolia, was their second
grand championship in as
many years marking' the first
time a club has repeated 'the
feat in the Goderich tourney.
Last year Pe_trolia beat
French Dry Cleaners to take
the top award.
This year more people
came to the ball park than
ever before in the nine year
history of :the tournament.
Tournament chairman for
This year was the first year
three parachutists dropped
into the ball park and delayed
a 15 inning scoreless game.
The game was held up for
several minutes when the
three who were competitors
at the Labor Day parachute
jump at Sky Harbor, drifted
on to the diamond trying to
promote sky diving. One
jumper , attempting to
demonstrate accuracy tried
desperately to tag up at
second but missed the bag by
inches. The action was
restored and Stratford Lange
Brothers Tree Service
managed al 1-0 win over
'"ifWeir,"4,W
000 'alr
Sarnia in the 15 inning of their
pitcher Gary Harloff gave up
SinirdaY night gaine. Stratford
just two hits in the shutout
win. •
The ball players and fans
were as thirsty as ever this'
year and Durst said a con-
servative estimate of the net
proceeds from the bar
operated by the tournament
• should put between 83,000 and
$4,000_ into the tourney cof-
fers.
The tournament executive
was able to put the excellent
returns on the past two years
to good use making the final
installment on •the Goderich
I Industrial Softball League's
share of the cost of new lights
for the park. The league
picked up $5,000 towards the
cost of the lights and were to
pay back the money across
I
three _y ea rs.-:—T s- -yea-r--they- -
gave the town the remaining
$1,500 on that debit and wiped
the slate clean,a year early.
Each year the tourney is
staged the calibre of ball goes
up another notch. This year a
team from Bloomingdale
entered competition for the
first time and offered fans a
glimpse Of what nine talented
players can do for the game.
Bloomingdale apparently
plays in an outlaw league
near Kitchener where
anything goes and play the
game with enthusiasm and
skill that is a pleasure to
watch. Favored to go the
distance in the- "A" division
Bloomingdale lost the
championship game 6-3 to
Fetrolial Finnegan's. •
With the tournament en-
joying a solid financial base
and with more prize money
being offered every year
better ball clubs are being
drawn to Goderich. This year
almost $3,000 was given away
in prize money and that
coupled with the knowledge
that the ,Goderich event is a
sure fire good time, the 1978
version promises to be the
biggest and best yet.
Page 11
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Three Goderich teams to play
this year
WELCOME FROM
YOUR
Tournament Executive
Tournament Chairman -
Doug Currie
Gerry Durst, Frank MacDonald
Ray Donnelly
Jim Durst
Ron Ritchie
Bill Kirkey
John Hoy, Arn Parker, Greg Hansen
Doug Fisher
Jim Bell and Gerry Pitre
Draws
Scoring
Schedule
Diamond
Gate
Treasurer
Refreshments
PubliiRelations
CO/uncoart mall
Just give, it your best shot, 'cause_
In a tournament,
this size
EVERYONE
goes•11,:lieR
Welcome to Goderich Everyone.
0.0
.The sign sign ,f victory
r
- a common sight
sport ,sitop
SALES & SERVICE
Soncoost Mali Goderich 524-2822
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