SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT A HOT TICKET; FANS LINING UP AT THE BIG 8.Byline: Jim Skeen Daily News Staff Writer With the mayor and other city officials looking on, sports fans began buying tickets to the Sept. 24-27 American Softball softball, variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Invented (1888) in Chicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoor baseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies' Association Men's D National Championship - an event the city hopes will pump thousands of dollars into the local economy. The first fans arrived just before noon Tuesday at the Lancaster Performing Arts Center's ticket office to purchase advance tickets for the tournament, expected to draw more than 125 teams from 45 states to the Lancaster City Park softball complex dubbed dub 1 tr.v. dubbed, dub·bing, dubs 1. To tap lightly on the shoulder by way of conferring knighthood. 2. To honor with a new title or description. 3. the Big 8. ``The Big 8 has become big time,'' said Mayor Frank Roberts Frank Roberts may refer to:
Councilwoman Michelle Idleman handed baseball caps featuring the Big 8 logo to the first eight fans buying tickets. The fans also got a coupon for a hamburger. ``It's going to be fun,'' said Brent Eg, 17, of Lancaster, who was first in line. ``There's going to be a lot of people there.'' Softball tournaments are expected to pump $2.9 million into the Antelope Valley This article is about the Los Angeles County region. For the census-designated place in Wyoming, see Antelope Valley-Crestview, Wyoming. The Antelope Valley economy this year as Lancaster plays host to 45 tournaments. The ASA Asa (ā`sə), in the Bible, king of Judah, son and successor of Abijah. He was a good king, zealous in his extirpation of idols. When Baasha of Israel took Ramah (a few miles N of Jerusalem), Asa bought the help of Benhadad of Damascus and tournament, the first for California in more than 25 years, is the largest of the lot, expecting to draw more than 2,000 players alone. By the end of the year, the city expects to have hosted some 930-plus softball teams and an estimated 18,640 visitors - both records for the city, which began pursuing tournaments as an economic tool five years ago, officials said. Lancaster has 1,000 tickets available for sale for each day of the tournament. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for youths. Season passes are $15 for adults and $8 for youths. Opening ceremonies are scheduled for 4:15 p.m. Sept. 24. The day's events are to include a home-run contest and the first round of tournament games. The tournament will conclude at 3:30 p.m. Sept. 27 with a championship game. The game will be taped and broadcast three times the following week by Fox Sports West. Softball, city officials say, is becoming a major economic force in the city. In 1994, when the city first made a major push to attract tournaments, the city hosted 18 tournaments, 252 teams and a total of about 5,040 visitors. The economic impact that year was estimated at about $750,000. To help market the complex, the city put together a slick See SLC. , all-color brochure. The city is adding a new feature this year, selling sports clothing Sports clothing is a general term for clothing while performing a sport. Each sport has its own styled clothes fitting their needs, e.g. regarding the textile (depending on the environment), the cutting and the form of clothing. , including flannel flannel, large group of napped plain-weave or twill-weave fabrics made of cotton, wool, or man-made fibers. Flannel fabrics vary in closeness or firmness of weave and in degree of napping. boxers, denim shirts, and sweat shirts with the Big 8 logo. |
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