LIHU`E—The best 9- and 10-year old baseball players from leagues throughout the state of Hawai`i will converge at the Lihu`e County Park from July 1 through 5 when the Lihu`e Baseball League hosts the 2000 PONY Baseball Hawai`i Region Mustang
LIHU`E—The best 9- and 10-year old baseball players from leagues throughout
the state of Hawai`i will converge at the Lihu`e County Park from July 1
through 5 when the Lihu`e Baseball League hosts the 2000 PONY Baseball Hawai`i
Region Mustang tournament.
At stake will be the Hawai`i Region Championship
and a berth in the PONY West Zone Tournament at Moreno Valley, California
starting July 28.
The winner of that tournament advances to the Mustang
World Series in Irving, Texas starting August 2.
Game format for the
Hawai`i Region Tournament will be an 8-team double elimination featuring
tournament teams from the hosting Lihu`e Baseball League, the West Kaua`i Youth
Baseball League, the Hawai`i island champions, the Maui island champions, and
teams from four Oahu leagues.
Oahu participants will be the four finalists
of an Oahu Qualifying tournament to be held in June.
Larry Moises, PONY
Hawai`i Region Director, will be the tournament director with Donald viquelia,
PONY Kaua`i Field Director, being his assistant. Ronald Kouchi, President of
the Lihu`e Baseball League will be the tournament chairman with Diane Masumura,
also of the Lihu`e Baseball League being the tournament co-chair.
Admission
to the tournament is free and the public is encouraged to come and watch
Hawai`i’s youth in action.
As hosts, the Lihu`e Baseball League is
responsible for planning and support of the tournament that features the
youngest level of tournament competition. As a result, a large number of
parents, relatives, and friends of the six off-island teams are expected to be
travelling with the teams when they converge here.
A daily food booth as
well as a souvenir concession stand will be available at the tournament and the
Lihu`e league is currently soliciting advertising for a souvenir program
booklet.
Teams will be arriving here on June 30, and members of the Lihu`e
Baseball League encourages everyone to show the visitors the aloha Kaua`i is
famous for.
PONY (Protect Our Nation’s Youth) provides youth baseball
programs in two year age groups on downsized field dimensions to match the
players’ abilities. Players play real baseball, similar to the major leagues,
with rules geared towards safety.
A schedule of other Hawai`i Region
tournaments follow:
Bronco (11/12 yr. old)
Dates: July 6
10
Location: Iron Maehara Stadium, Kahului, Maui
Host: Maui Bronco
League
Format: 8 team double elimination
Winner advances to West Zone
Tournament in Whittier, CA starting 7/28
Winner of Zone Tournament advances
to World Series in Monterey, CA starting 8/3
Pony (13/14 yr.
old)
Dates: July 13 18
Location: Mililani, Oahu
Host: Central
Oahu Youth Baseball League
Format: 8 team double elimination
Winner
advances to West Zone Tournament in Fullerton, CA starting 8/5
Winner of
Zone Tournament advances to World Series in Washington, PA starting
8/12
Colt (15/16 yr. old)
Dates: July 14 16
Location: Kona,
Hawaii
Host: Kona Youth Baseball
Format: 6 team double
elimination
Winner advances to West Zone Tournament in Moreno Valley, CA
starting 7/29
Winner of Zone Tournament advances to World Series in
Lafayette, IN starting 8/8
Palomino (17/18 yr. old)
Dates,
Location & Host: To be announced at a later date
Winner advances to
West Zone Tournament in Seattle, WA starting 8/4
Winner of Zone Tournament
advances to World Series in Santa Clara, CA starting 8/11
For updates
and information visit: www.geocities.com/hiponybb