Hope was a happening place, last weekend — and the Caesar Soares Memorial 2-pitch tournament was a key component of the three-day Brigade Days celebrations.
Organizer Dan Small figured the tournament drew some 300 players, on 20 teams. The 42 games required four fields, so C.E. Barry and Silver Creek Elementary School fields were pressed into action, in addition to the two Sixth Avenue diamonds.
Four games kicked off at 6:15 p.m., Friday night, then the Diamond #1 lights were turned on for a late game. Saturday, the first significant rain in months made things a little damp and muddy — but the games had to go on.
“I played in a game at 1:15 and got pretty soaked,” said Small, laughing. “But it was a beautiful day, Sunday. The whole tournament went well; I literally had no complaints, to my face. I learned a few things to make it even better next year, which will be the 50th annual Brigade Days.”
Teams came from as far as Surrey and Kelowna, with many former residents coming back to play, bringing their families and friends with them. Bob and Terree Cochrane of Chilliwack came with a group of paid umpires.
Not all teams or umps knew the specific rules of the 2-pitch game, which got started in Hope in the early 1980s, so Small gave them advance notice and also had the rules spelled out in the tournament packages.
For an entry fee of $375, each team got 14 fairground wristbands (total street value, $280), 14 beer tickets for the beer garden, complimentary passes to the Hope and District Recreation Centre, in addition to a four-game guarantee.
“After paying for the umpires and supplies, we probably broke even,” figured Small. “If we made a profit, that would go back to Brigade Days.”
Small said he was busy but he didn’t do it all on his own.
“Dusty Smith did lots of background work and dealt with the school board and town. Craig Traun helped set up the grounds and Kelly and Kevin Araki did the lining,” said Small. “Deb Romano set up the score board, Erica Press printed the programs and rules sheets and Sixth Avenue Sports brought in the softballs and score sheets.”
Winding up Sunday afternoon, the Try Hards prevailed over the Abbotsford Choppers in the championship match and Agassiz’ Can’t Catch This edged out another Agassiz-based team, the A-Town Ballers, in the consolation match.
The Try Hards included Hope residents Landon John, Tammy Shields and former residents Gord Trick, Chris Parr, Tyson Skoro and Marc Hoggan.