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Friday, July 8, 2011

Bring on the tournaments

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I don't know what the Advocate meant by calling a little league tournament an economic boost but in the past it hasn't been. Now, if we could host the tournament on a permanent basis ,then we could count on that extra revenue and make the appropriate planning. I remember the tournaments we had in Cuero, Yorktown, Edna and Kennedy. We never made plans to eat there or stay overnight because they were held during the week nights. The short commute between those cities allowed us to do that. I wish that we could host tournaments that involved teams from San Antonio, Corpus Christi and El Campo. I'm glad we hosted 32 teams, and I hope we made the extra effort to encourage them on coming back.

I managed at all levels in girls' and boys' Little League and served on the board of directors for a few years. A little hospitality goes a long way because I remember all the managers and directors praising the efforts of the Inez community. They didn't ask the participants to do anything but play ball. They had people picking up trash and icing down water coolers while the game was going on. The two fields were immaculate, and they kept the tournament kept on a tight schedule. It's too bad that they can only be considered as a way to keep the tournament moving along because they weren't big enough to host a championship game. I remember that we couldn't host many little league games because our facilities weren't that great. It's a good thing; we had Riverside Stadium, Lowe, Rippamonti and Victoria High School to host events at the junior level.

Our men's softball fields are too small for major tournaments, unless you like home run derby. When I was down there we didn't have the hotel facilities, so we weren't even considered. A softball tournament will bring in big bucks because the players and families make it a weekend event.
I like the idea someone made about combining a tourist event with a little league tournament. In fact, they could share the name of the event and benefit equally.

I'm surprised that I didn't upset the local conservatives with my VA blog but that wasn't my intent and there is still the weekend coming up. I can only write about the subject as I understand it. Perhaps, all my detractors have left..:-)

Who would have thought Rupert Murdoch would stoop to the lowest journalism standards ever in the history of Great Britain?

6 comments:

Edith Ann said...

Wouldn't it be nice if the Advocate just reporterd the news as news rather than editorializing on it?

Why they feel it is their duty to improve Dale Fowler's and Randy Vivian's image is just beyond me!

I'd just like to read a story about something fun happening in Victoria without the words "economic development" or a quote from Vivian or Fowler in it!

What's next--disease and sickness as economic development? Why not? Lots of folks from all around come and stay in our motels and eat in our restaurants when they have loved ones in the hospitals here! They buy gas, too!

Sheesh!

Mike said...

I missed those individuals in the paper and didn't noticed it until someone posted it but I agree give the tournament the coverage and give the kudos to the kids. 

You're right ,I bet Ramsey's and the Corral and the hotels benefit everyday  from out of town hospital stays.

Rebecca said...

Hey! Every year the homeschoolers in Victoria host a basketball tournament for the homeschool basketball teams in Texas. Teams (players AND their families) from Houston, San Antonio, San Marcos,... stay in Victoria to participate. I wonder if that helps boost our economy. ;) ;) The tournament is several days long and they rent out the private school gyms.

Sugar Magnolia said...

Yeah, the News of the World's shutting down really shocked me. After, what, 160 and some-odd years in business, WOW. Just WOW. Goes to prove what I've always said about modern technology, be it medical, cell phones, whatever: Just because we can doesn't mean we SHOULD.

Mike said...

How true Sugar

Mike said...

Rebecca
It sure does boost our economy.I wish it more coverage.