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The ball fields at Carmichael and Terry Fox will be hopping with activity all night long Friday as the Bridges Bistro 24-Hour Slo-Pitch Tournament returns for its fourth year.
Starting at 6 p.m. July 6 and running through to 9 p.m. July 7, 20 teams from Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie and North Bay will compete through the night.
"It's a unique spin on a ball tournament," Shawn Bomhower, organizer of the tournament, said. "Other than an indoor tournament held at the Rogers Centre in Toronto in January, no one else does this.
"Players seem to enjoy the concept," he added. "It just keeps growing every year."
There will be a barbecue held at Terry Fox from 6 to 12 p.m. Friday night, and at Carmichael from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. A silent auction will also be ongoing throughout the tournament, including Toronto Blue Jays tickets, hotel accommodations in Toronto, an Ottawa Senators jersey signed by Nick Foligno, a date night package for the Radisson Hotel in Sudbury, as well as a Slo-Pitch National package.
A homerun derby for men and women is scheduled for 12 p.m. Saturday at the Carmichael ball field. The public is invited to come out and participate at $10/person. Cash and/or prizes will be awarded for both genders.
Proceeds from the barbecue, silent auction and homerun derby will be donated to Autism Ontario Sudbury Chapter. Donations are also welcome.
Bomhower said the charity is one near and dear to him.
"I work with autistic students at École Secondaire Macdonald-Cartier," the educational assistant said. "People need to be aware there are a lot of kids, and adults, with autism, and we need to keep the programs running and offer more help and support to autistic kids and their families."
Posted by Laurel Myers
