Cal Ripken tournament ready to begin

Every team in the 12-year-old Cal Ripken Southwest Regional Tournament is being treated like a World Series champion.

One of the 10 teams competing here this week could very well hoist the trophy in Aberdeen, Maryland in three weeks.

The journey to the 12-year-old Cal Ripken World Series begins Thursday at the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex, where one team will qualify for the trip to Maryland -- the home of baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken.

The World Series is televised on ESPN and participants have the opportunity to get fitted for their uniforms at the Under Armour factory.

Larry Cantley, an assistant Southwest Regional Commissioner, is hopeful the winner will come from the Southwest.

"We need a team from the Southwest Region to win this World Series," Cantley told the Blytheville 12-year-old All-Stars Wednesday during a rules meeting at the Holiday Inn. "Play like a champion and act like a champion."

Along with host city Blytheville, the tournament includes Tri-County, Arkansas; West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana; Southeastern, Oklahoma; Mobile Westside, Alabama; Mountain Home; Meridian, Mississippi; Seminole, Texas; Little Rock; and St. Charles Parish, Louisiana.

Tournament director Jonathan Howard is looking forward to the tournament.

"It's something we've been working on for a good three years," Howard said. "From my perspective, it goes beyond providing an opportunity for the players, it's an opportunity for the town. It's an opportunity for the Booster Club to bring people into town, to book hotel rooms, stay for four to five nights and generate some revenue for the city of Blytheville. We recognize that it's tax dollars that pays for that facility and the only way to help improve that facility is generating tax dollars and that's people eating at our restaurants, shopping at our stores and staying in our hotel rooms. Working with Mr. Cantley has been a really good experience."

The tournament is expected to generate between $150,000 to $200,000 for the local economy, according to Farmers Bank and Trust president Randy Scott, who serves on the Blytheville Baseball Softball Boosters.

Cantley complemented Blytheville for its facilities and hospitality.

He noted he visited the Blytheville Youth Sportsplex in March and left impressed.

"I told Regional Commissioner Joe Featherston that I thought we were going to have a good tournament," Cantley said. "Last night, after going over the banquet facility at the college, I really think Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken are going to be back in Blytheville a lot in the future. Regional tournament is not going to be an issue, they'll probably be looking at a World Series in a few years if they want it. It's a pretty big financial commitment, but they've got the facility and it appears he's got a committee -- the booster club -- that is dedicated to going forward. I'd say many more regionals and possibly a World Series headed this way one of these days."

"This is the kind of venue Babe Ruth looks at for a World Series," he continued. "Small town America is what makes Babe Ruth."

Cantley likes what he has seen from the Blytheville community.

"We're really impressed with this community," Cantley said. "Everybody is impressed with Blytheville. I think Blytheville and Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken baseball is going to be a good partnership."

The tournament banquet was held Wednesday night at ANC. Opening ceremonies are set for approximately 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

The first game of the double-elimination tournament is Tri-County versus West Feliciana Parish, which begins at 10 a.m. Thursday.

Blytheville squares off with Southeastern, Oklahoma at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.

mbrasfield@blythevillecourier.com