WESTFIELD – Red Sox Opening Day at Fenway Park … the Boston Marathon … Harvard-Yale football … the World Figure Skating Championships … the Babe Ruth Baseball World Series.
This summer’s World Series of Babe Ruth Baseball 14-Year-Olds ranks as one of the state’s top 16 sporting events for 2016, according to the Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism and the Massachusetts Sports Marketing Office’s recently released, “Sixteen in Sixteen: Massachusetts’ Top Sporting Events for 2016.”
“We are excited that the Office of Travel and Tourism included us in their list for 2016,” Westfield Babe Ruth President Dan Welch said. ‘We worked hard to bring the World Series to Westfield, and we fully expect it to be an outstanding event.”
Westfield Little League Baseball 13-Year-Old All-Stars pitcher Josh Lis winds up against Burlington (VT) during the 2015 eastern regionals. Some of the same Little Leaguers may likely wind up on this year’s 14-Year-Old All-Star team, which will compete in the World Series in mid-August. (Photo courtesy of Kristen Koziol)
The Babe Ruth Baseball World Series is the only Western Massachusetts event on the list.
“Western Massachusetts has a lot to offer, and we hope that the teams coming for the tournament will enjoy their experience here,” Welch said.
While the World Series, scheduled to take place August 9-18, is still several months away, local fans will have the opportunity to enjoy a lot of baseball between now and then.
From Little League opening day in April to the Babe Ruth Baseball regular season to the chase for Babe Ruth’s Amanti Cup and City Cup to All-Star season in June and July, the anticipation should build, leading into district, state, and regional All-Star tournaments before wrapping with the Whip City’s World Series in mid-August.
Westfield Babe Ruth Baseball 13-Year-Old All-Stars first baseman David Roundy, right, looks to make a defensive play during a 2015 eastern regionals tournament game against Burlington, Vt., Monday. (Photo courtesy of Kristen Koziol)
The Babe Ruth World Series will feature elite 14-year-old Babe Ruth All-Stars from all across the country, representing eight national regions: New England, Middle Atlantic, Ohio Valley, Southeast, Midwest Plains, Southwest, Pacific Northwest, and Pacific Southwest.
The Massachusetts state champions and the host team from Westfield will compete in the tournament.
To prepare for the competition, the Westfield Babe Ruth 14-Year-Old All-Stars will participate in baseball tournaments all summer throughout the region leading up to the start of the World Series. The team manager is expected to be named in the coming days.
Information will also soon be available regarding advance purchase for World Series tickets and souvenir program books.
For more information, visit www.westfieldworldseries.com. Stay up-to-date on the latest World Series news at thewestfieldnews.com.
