The field of teams for the 12 Year Old Cal Ripken Baseball World Series is set. Teams from nine states will begin pool play Thursday afternoon at the Martin Recreation Complex in the weeklong baseball tournament. At stake for all 10 teams is the World Series title.

    Among the 10 teams are Lake County and Martin from Tennessee. Lake County was extended an invitation to the World Series by virtue of winning the state tournament. Martin landed a berth in the prestigious affair as the tournament’s host team.

 

The Tennessee State Champs – Lake County, Tenn.

 

    Lake County, Tenn., won four consecutive games en route to its district tournament crown. The team only gave up11 runs in the four games. The dominate pitching and the stellar defense prevailed in the state tournament for Lake County. The team won four straight games, and only allowed seven runs as it grabbed the state title.

    The other eight teams advanced to the World Series by virtue of winning a regional tournament.

 

Southwest Region – Hamburg, Ark.

 

    Hamburg, Ark., won the Southwest Regional in Levelland, Texas. En route to the Southwest Regional crown, Hamburg went undefeated in both the district and state tournaments. Hamburg clinched the state title with an extra-inning affair against McGhee, Ark. Hamburg was cruising through the Southwest regional when it ran into McGhee, Ark. This time around McGhee won the first game and forced Hamburg to win the second game for the regional title and a berth in the World Series.

 

Pacific Southwest Region -- Visalia, California

 

    Visalia, Calif., claimed the Pacific Southwest Regional and will make the trek across the country.

Middle Atlantic Region – Bear, Delaware

    Bear, Del., won the Middle Atlantic Regional and will fly to Tennessee Tuesday for the series which guarantees each team an opportunity to play at least four games. Bear will ride an 11-game winning streak into the World Series. The team went 5-0 in the state tournament and then won the regional tournament with six consecutive victories. Bear won the Middle Atlantic Region last year as 11 year olds.

 

Ohio Valley Region – South Lexington, Kentucky

 

    South Lexington, Ky., won the Ohio Valley Regional and will enjoy the shortest trip of the eight teams traveling to the Volunteer State for the World Series. South Lexington defeated Newburgh, Ind., 15-5 in four innings to win the Ohio Valley regional.

    The victory capped a four-game sweep in which the Eastern Kentucky champs outscored teams 56-8 in the regional.

    The South Lexington team has been playing together for the past five seasons. A South Lexington, Ky., team won last year’s Cal Ripken 12 Year Old World Series.

 

Midwest Plains Region -- Bemidji, Minnesota

 

    The Northern Heat, from Bemidji, Minn., sports a 32-5 record this season. The team has won two tournaments, along with the Minnesota State tournament and the Midwest Plains Region. The team also cruised through the regional tournament with four consecutive wins.  Bemidji won the region with a 3-2 victory over Minot, ND.

 

Southeast Region – South Daytona, Florida

 

    South Daytona, Fla., rides a 10-game winning streak into the World Series. South Daytona swept district, state and regional tournaments. In the regional tournament, South Daytona out scored its opposition 32-10. In all three tournaments, the district, state and regional, South Daytona met a team in the championship game that it previously beat in the tournaments.

    Also making the trip across the country for the World Series is Kennewick, Wash., winners of the Pacific Northwest Regional.

(Read the rest of this story in this week's edition of the Dresden Enterprise!)

    Back in the mid-sixties when girls’ basketball teams played the half-court game with three forwards and three guards, six young ladies from the Dresden community bonded to excel in playing the game and exciting the local fans.  They were affectionately known as the “Big Six” by their classmates and fans.
    Recently, they were reunited at their class reunion on July 4 at the old high school gym. They recalled their practices and games in the old gym with fondness and enjoyed revisiting their old dressing room and the playing court.
    The squad played with the renowned Lin Dunn, now of the WNBA coaching ranks, during their freshman year under local coaching icon Buddy Viniard. Coach James Pritchett led the squad during the 1965-1966 season with Coach Frank Gibson at the helm during the 1966-1967 and 1967-1968 seasons. Coach Gibson also returned during the reunion to see his former pupils. Gibson commented that he remembers this squad for how well they played together as a team. Coach Gibson also relayed to the group a humorous story. The girls’ team only had “hand-me-down” bags given to them from the boys’ team. These bags were “worn out,” so the girls carried “team paper sacks” to one game which promptly resulted in team boosters purchasing the much needed “ regular” ones.
    This era was before the current classification system which is now based on school size. The squad comprised an impressive record of 17 wins and 3 losses its senior year. These women credit their ball playing days with instilling in them a solid work ethic and a desire to succeed. They are thankful for the community support which inspired them to do their best on the court.

(Read the rest of this story in this week's edition of the Dresden Enterprise!)