BUCYRUS — The coronavirus pandemic has affected a lot of things. But not the Tommy Slugfest Tournament — for the most part.
Though COVID-19 forced the Bucyrus Little League and their partners, Colonel Crawford Youth Baseball and New Washington Youth Baseball, to cancel their regular seasons, they have collectively decided to go on with the annual event this weekend.
The 8th Annual Tommy Slugfest Tournament is scheduled Friday-Sunday, June 12-14. The late notice was necessary to allow for proper clearance to play due to restrictions imposed by the pandemic.
“It is way late for the announcement, but we wanted to have the go-ahead from local health officials,” said Tournament Director Scott Langenderfer. “With the Responsible Restart Ohio Baseball Guidelines that were made available May 22, we, as a collective league group, decided to proceed with the tournament.”
The group discussed the plans and protocols with the health department and the City of Bucyrus, assuring them that the Responsible Restart Ohio Baseball Guidelines would be followed as closely as possible and that all participating teams were made aware of the guidelines.
Twenty teams will be involved in two divisions. The 12U division will have 12 teams and games will be played at four fields at Aumiller Park. The eight teams playing in the 10U division will play at Colonel Crawford High School.
Teams will travel from Tiffin, Mount Gilead, Van Buren, Greenwich, Findlay, Powell, Sandusky, and Marion in the 12U tournament and in the 10U from Findlay, Wooster, Delaware, New London, Upper Sandusky, Sycamore and Ontario.
Games will begin Friday at 5:30 p.m. at Aumiller with late games at 7:30 p.m. Saturday games start at 9 a.m. The 10U teams will play at Colonel Crawford at 6 p.m. (three games) and 7:30 p.m. game at Buckeye Recreation Park in New Washington. All Saturday games are at Colonel Crawford starting at 9 a.m.
Each team is guaranteed three games. Pool play Friday and Saturday will establish seeding for the single-elimination tournaments with the championships played on Sunday.
The tournament began as a fund raiser for then Little League coach and current Wynford varsity coach, Tom Smith, who was diagnosed with cancer that year.
“On thing I think that really is a testament to Tom is that each and every year, he serves as a volunteer umpire for the tournament that bears his name,” Langenderfer said.
Each year since, the Bucyrus Little League Board has selected a different family or organization to donate the funds to. Last year, it raised nearly $5,000 and the proceeds were given to the James Cancer Hospital in the name of Dr. Michael Johnson.
This year, the boards of the three leagues involved, having incurred operating expenses prior to the cancelation of their seasons, decided to use the proceeds to help purchase new equipment and update facilities.
In keeping with the spirit of the tournament, however, a portion of the funds raised will be donated to the Jeff and Karla Schiefer family whose home was destroyed by fire last weekend. Several umpires will also donate their checks to the family.
In addition, several items raffle, including Cedar Point Gold Passes, and a 50-50. Saturday at 5 p.m., there will be a home run derby at Field 4 at Aumiller Park which includes 10 U, 11U, 12U and open divisions, with a $10 per participant entry fee.
Social distancing is encouraged among spectators. There will be plenty of room at the 10U tournament at Colonel Crawford and Field 2 at Aumiller Park will be closed to help reduce congregating crowds.