Ramstein to host baseball/softball championships in July

Little League Baseball International announces that Ramstein, in association with Ramstein-American Little League, will host the European Baseball/Softball Championships.

District Administrator John Kuykendall advised that Little League Baseball International had awarded Ramstein with the opportunity to host three regional tournaments in July. These tournaments will consist of Senior Boys Baseball from July 12 to 20 and Junior/Senior Girls Softball from July 20 to 28.

The baseball tournament will be played on the 90-foot diamonds located on South Ramstein and Pulaksi Barracks. Game times will be 9 a.m. and noon. The softball tournament will be played on the softball fields located behind Ramstein High School. Game times will be 9 and 11:30 a.m.

The winners of these three tournaments will proceed to the United States to participate in the Little League World Series in Bangor, Maine; Lower Sussex, Del.; and Kirkland, Wash. All expenses for the winning teams will be paid by Little League Baseball.

Current teams scheduled to participate are country champions from Sweden, Germany (local nationals), Moldova, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Italy. Ramstein-American Little League will represent Germany U.S. Forces.

The teams represented for softball will be Ramstein, Germany; the Netherlands; Naples, U.S. Navy, Italy; Greece; and Italy (local nationals).

This is a chance to come and support your local team and to see the caliber of play from other European countries who are advancing in this U.S. sport.

We are appreciative of the support being offered by Ramstein and its assigned units. Without the support of the local teams, we would have to travel to other countries for the tournaments and spend in excess of $30,000 in travel funds. Special tribute goes to Dorothy Choate, 435th Services Squadron, for her help with the event.

In addition to the the tournaments scheduled for Ramstein, two individuals serving with the U.S. Forces have been selected to umpire at the various World Series sites. Col. Fred Temples from the Netherlands air force, assigned to Ramstein, will officiate at the Senior Baseball World Series in Bangor, Maine, and Staff Sgt. Mark Diaz, from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, will officiate at the Junior Baseball World Series in Taylor, Mich.

(Courtesy of Little League Baseball)