48th Annual Anaheim Lions Charity Baseball Tournament
History of the Tournament
The tournament started in 1975 with “just nine” local high school teams playing in an elimination tournament. Fast forward 48 years and the tournament will play host to 67 high school teams, including 12 from out of the state of California. This year, the tournament will host teams from Colorado, Idaho, Utah, Oregon and Nevada as well as northern and central California. All teams are member s of their state associations and all games will be played by local CIF and national NFHS rules. The Anaheim Lions Club is the sponsoring entity and the host school is Anaheim High School. The Chairman of the tournament is Lion Chuck Kester. As the tournament will play in excess of 165 games, the umpire assignors in all of Southern California are critical for the tournaments success and the Lions Club is grateful for all of their time and assistance. Chris Pascal, who has been involved in the last 37, tournaments is in charge of securing the teams that play and setting up the schedule along with Mike Barrera, the head coach at Anaheim High School. The Lions are also working with USA Premiere Sports who are instrumental in operating the website, securing hotel and vans as well as offering team specials for uniforms, hats, shirts and sweatshirts.
Purpose of the Tournament
The purpose of the Anaheim Lions Baseball Tournament is to provide for the participating schools to meet and compete for a coveted trophy and to raise funds to assist the visually and hearing impaired as well as other non-profit organizations in the community.
Charities
Proceeds from the tournament will benefit, but are not limited to the following organizations or causes: Anaheim Boy’s and Girls Clubs; Anaheim Family YMCA; Blind Children’s Learning Center; Braille Institute; City of Hope; Foundation for the Junior Blind; Friends of the Anaheim Police K9’s; Guide Dogs of the Desert; Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation; Lions Canine Companions and the Anaheim Youth of the Year Scholarships. In addition, proceeds are provided to benefit its on-going eye care program which provides needy local elementary school children with eye exams and glasses.
Awards
Trophies are awarded to the champion and runner-up schools. The championship school will also receive the coveted perpetual trophy to display at their school for the next calendar year. An MVP trophy is awarded to the player deemed the most valuable and each school will have representation on the All-Tournament team. Members of the championship team will each receive a T-Shirt as will each member of the All-Tournament Team.
www.anaheimlionsbaseball.com
