Thanks for a Successful 2014 Tournament - Friends of Warren Ball Park

The Friends of Warren Ballpark’s 5th Copper City Classic Vintage Base Ball Tournament was a success, thanks to our volunteers, teams, vendors and cranks (fans) and Bisbee school district staff.

All eight teams played well keeping the Arizona Territories Vintage Base Ball League (ATVBBL) tournament exciting to the end. Kudos to the Glendale Gophers for winning the championship. Your local team, the Bisbee Black Sox, deserve a lot of credit. They were the most improved team winning three out of five games. The Colorado All-Stars again entertained the crowds with their colorful uniforms and superb showmanship. Thanks to the other teams in the league for travelling to Bisbee and making the tournament competitive and fun for the cranks. So a loud huzzah to the Phoenix Senators, Tempe Tip-tops, Mesa Mutuals, the Bisbee Bees, and the Tucson Saguaros,

KBRP, your local radio station spent two long days announcing the tournament. Their rapport with the players added a great deal of interest and fun. And no one will forget Gene Connors leading the crowd in a rousing rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” Support your local radio station in all they do for this community.

The tournament would not run smoothly without the Bisbee Unified School District staff. Their work was doubled this year because we used two fields. Thanks for lining the fields, keeping the restrooms clean and supplied and all the behind the scenes tasks that make for a smooth running event.

Moose’s Hotdogs, a vendor since the inaugural tournament in 2010 served their premier sausages and hotdogs. When in Sierra Vista, look for the bright yellow and blue umbrella outside of Lowes for a tasty, inexpensive lunch. Thanks also to Woody’s Barbeque for serving delicious pulled pork and brisket along with slurpy, delicious Hawaiian shave ice. Beast Brewery served their locally brewed beer. Stop by their Tap Room in San Jose Plaza to sample their hand crafted beer.

Cat Daddy and the 12 Barz Blues Band along with the Cholla High School Blues Standard entertained at Saturday night’s Post-Game Blues. The veteran musicians and the aspiring young musicians jammed together. Listen to Cat Daddy when he plays at the Copper Queen or Stock Exchange or other local venues.

A tip of our baseball caps goes to our volunteers who provided security, sold tickets, beer and raffle tickets. Our many sponsors including Freeport McMoran, Copper Queen Hospital, Wick Communications, Bisbee Beverage, Christine Rhodes, Plaza Liquor, High Desert Market, Red Shoes Hair Salon, Suby Construction, Bisbee Chiropractic, Highway 92 Service, Bisbee Bug, Acacia Art and Antiques, and Turquoise Valley Country Club, helped defray the tournament costs. As always, we thank our sponsoring organization, the Bisbee Council on the Arts and Humanities.

This letter would be much longer if all who volunteered were named but thank you so much. The money raised will fund our next project, construction of accessible public restrooms. The Friends have now raised 60% of the estimated $102,000 needed to construct restrooms and are hopeful of receiving a grant in the near future to meet this goal. If you are interested in joining the Friends or donating call 520 432-3813 or go to https://friendsofwarrenballpark.com. If you have interest in joining a vintage base ball team, check out the Arizona Territories Vintage Base Ball League website (http://www.arizonavintagebaseball.com) or call 520 432-3813..

For more information about Warren Ballpark and Vintage Base ball check out the following videos: https://www.azpm.org/s/16658-the-history-of-arizonas-oldest-baseball-stadium/ and https://www.azpm.org/s/19207-azs-vintage-baseball-league-wraps-up-season-in-historic-park/