EASLEY — The announcement of the Host District 1 Big League team on June 18 officially marked the countdown to the Big League World Series which this year is presented by Dosher Physical Therapy, Ogeltree Law Firm, the City of Easley, and Kelly’s Pharmacy.
This year the series swings back into Easley July 25 through August 1 at the J.B. Red Owens sports complex.
This week-long tournament showcases some of the most talented 16 to 18 year old baseball players from around the world.
The Host, District 1 team which was announced at a recent meeting of the Upstate Baseball Club and is comprised of players from Anderson, Oconee and Pickens County.
This year’s team is being represented by the following young men: Stephen Mcknight, Tucker Burgess, Will Hartzel, and Will Porter from Easley High School; Beau Strickland and Matthew Willbanks from Pickens High School; Justin Allen, Chase Day, and Ereven Roper from Wren High School; Trey Hayes, Jessie Kellet from Palmetto High School; Max McDougald from T.L. Hanna High School; Jacob Broome, Daniel Nations, and Zach Steele from Seneca High School; Colby Loggins from Walhalla High School.
The series is organized into two divisions, one with five teams representing teams from around the globe. The other division has six teams that represent different regions in the United States. The best US team and the best international team square off at the end of the week to determine who will be crowned the best in the world.
Current University of South Carolina standouts and College World Series bound players Michael Roth, Joey Pancake, and Kyle Martin have all participated in the series along with former University of South Carolina standout Scott Wingo and the 2009 National League Rookie of the Year and member of the Miami Marlins Chris Coghlan. Who knows, maybe the next Bryce Harper will be featured in this year’s series.
The series begins with the Fanfest on the night of July 24 which will include the homerun derby and a concert.
Games begin on Wednesday, with the Parade of Teams being on Saturday. Finally, on August 1, the championship game will be live on ESPN. This year marks the sixth year that ESPN will be in the upstate to telecast the championship game. Tournament director Jon Humphrey has been the organizer of this event for six years.
Humphrey says that his role as tournament director “is a great honor and something that I take seriously. Players and coaches have worked hard to make it to the series and I want to ensure that the series is worth their hard work.” Humphrey and his team have been working to make improvements in order to ensure that fans and players alike have an unforgettable experience.
In addition the City of Easley has added some batting cages that teams may use before games to practice those all-important swings. Humphrey also stated that the City of Easley improvements made to the field the where championship game is played on will “improve the visual aspect for the patrons.”
Each year, volunteers take tickets, announce the games, maintain the fields, and transport teams amongst other jobs. Even the umpires are volunteers. “Without our volunteers, this tournament would not be possible,” Humphrey says.
This year, the tournament’s presenting sponsors are Dosher Physical Therapy, Ogeltree Law Firm, the City of Easley, and Kelly’s Pharmacy. It’s the crack of the bat. It’s the heart-stopping throw down. It’s the nail-biter that goes into extra innings. It’s the walk-off grand slam. And it’s all coming to Easley. Don’t miss a single pitch.