To All:

Hope that everyone is having a great summer and that life is treating you all well. Just an update on the tournament, we start up with games on July 25th.

We have finalized the 15U teams. We are at 46 total teams. Nine Internationals: Japan,Puerto Rico, Montreal Canada, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Ontario Canada, Brazil, New Zealand and the Russian National Team. There are 16 Illinois teams including our 6 host teams, and there are 21 out of state teams.

A complete listing of all age groups can be found at our web site =Edited by Moderator...Links to baseball websites are not allowed.=
We have a total of 14 internationals on all age groups and teams are coming from California to Massachusetts and Texas to Michigan.

The pool play schedules for Saturday - Monday July 25 - 27 will be posted on the web site today. If you get a chance come on out to catch a game. The 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm games at Lippold Park on the two north fields each day are Internationals against United States teams.

Hope that evryone makes it through the rest of the summer in good shape.

My son's team will be there! Looking forward to a great experience for all the kids!

Some of the International Teams will be arriving early and have set up exhibition games on Thursday with each other and local teams. Here is the schedule for 7/23

Veteran Acres Park in Crystal Lake
9AM Japan vs. Crystal Lake Babe Ruth
11AM New Zealand vs. Japan
1PM Japan vs. Brazil
3PM New Zealand vs. Brazil

Lippold Park Synthetic Fields in Crystal Lake
9AM Brazil vs. Lake in the Hills Thunder
11AM Brazil vs. Crystal Lake Cardinals
1PM New Zealand vs. Crystal Lake Babe Ruth
3PM Japan vs. Crystal Lake Cyclones

The pre-tournament festivities continue on Friday

Team Registration - 9:00 pm- 2:00 pm Holiday Inn

Skills Competition - 2:30 pm - 5:00 pm Lippold Park

All Age Group Pizza Banquet 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm Lippold Park

Parade of Teams to Opening Ceremonies - 15's, 11's & 9's
Japan, Canada, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, New Zealand, Brazil, Russia, Panama and the United States of America. 6:45 pm - 7:30 pm Lippold Park

Guest Speakers 7:30 pm - 7:45 pm Lippold Park

Entertainment:
"Catch This! Juggling - Olympic Juggling Act"
World Famous "Jesse White Tumbling Team" 7:45 - 8:30 pm Lippold Park
National Anthem's 8:30 pm - 8:55 pm Lippold Park

First Pitches 8:55 pm - 9:05 pm Lippold Park

"Take Me Out to the Ballgame" & Fireworks 9:05 pm Lippold Park


Pool Play games get started on Saturday morning.

Starting up the double-elim on Wednesday. Twenty-four teams in the Gold bracket including:
Japan, Brazil, Puerto Rico, the Dominican and Montreal.

Laredo Flames (TX); Baltimore Waves; Tennessee Raptors; Mass. Lightning; Farmersburg Outlaws (Ind); KC Wildcats; Waukesha Fog Orioles; Bentenville Tigers (Ark); Pittsburgh Northstars; Big League Academy (PA); Mobile BaySox (ALA);

CL Cyclones; CL Bombers; Cary Storm; Top Tier; Evanston Orange; DuPage Diamondbacks; Decatur No Fear; NI Reds.

Some very good squads. Gold bracket games at
11:00 am, 5:00 pm and 8:00 pm - Wednesday - Friday. Winner bracket final Saturday at 8:00 pm at Lippold Park Sund Complex. Championship game Sunday at Noon - same place - if needed at 3:00 pm.

Go to my personal zone for the website link.

Take care all,
Jack

Update July 29 - 9:00 PM

Gold Bracket last eight teams in winners bracket.

Larado, TX Flames; Northern IL Reds; KC Wildcats;
Crystal Lake Bombers; Tenn. Raptors; Big League Academy, Penn.

Crystal Lake Cyclones vs Puerto Rico and
Japan vs Montreal
Playing right now.

Jack

Update:

15U Gold Bracket Winners half.

Laredo Flames beat Puerto Rico 4 - 3
Japan over CL Bombers 9 - 0
Tenn Raptors knock off BLA Penn 8 - 0
NI Reds slip by KC Widcats 5 - 5

8:00 pm tonight: Laredo vs Japan and Tennessee vs NI Reds

Dominican Republic, Bentoville Ark., Top Tier still alive in losers bracket.

Brazil and Cary Storm suspended because of darkness and will finish this morning at 8 am. Winner in final 12 - loser is done.

Jack

9:00 pm Saturday 8/1

Gold Bracket
Japan and Tennessee Raptors ted at 1 in 2nd inning of undefeated games.

Puert Rico and Laredo TX Flames 2 - 1 Puert Rico in the 4th.

Silver Bracket
KC Wildcats undefeated waiting for winner of Prison City - Joliet and Ann Arbor, MI Travelers.

3rd Place games at 9 am
Championship games at Noon
If games at 3:00 pm

Lippold Park 1251 West Route 176 in Crystal Lake

Just read what I typed - I am really tired.

.

Jack, Jack, Jack! We appreciate the effort, but really...you've got to get yourself some help!







.

Gotwood - Did I just hear you volunteer for 2010???? Lots of people doing lots of work up here. We can always use more - Gotwood you game????

Japan knocks off Tenn. Raptors 7 - 4
Puerto Rico tips Laredo Flames 8 - 5

Puerto Rico vs Tenn. Raptors at 9:00 am
Japan vs winner at noon.

Come out and watch some great baseball.

Watched Japan early in the tournament and its nice to watch. With 3 boys though I would have liked to go to alot more games through the week but the gate fees every day are just too much.........

Watched some Caba games too and both tourneys had some great teams and some good weather overall.

15U Gold Bracket Finals - 5:30 pm

Puerto Rico knocked off a tired Tennessee Raptors team 15 - 0 to advance against Japan.

Japan wins their first ever title in 14 years of coming to Crystal Lake.

Final score Japan 8 - Puerto Rico 5. Great game. Centerfielder for Japan takes away a 3 run HR in the top of the 6th and then comes in to close it off from the mound.

Kansas Blues win the Silver Bracket 11 - 2 over Prison City Prowlers out of Joliet.

In the 17 years that I have been lucky enough to be involved with this event it was by far the most diverse, deepest and most talented tournament that we have had. There was some excellent baseball played this past week.

46 15U teams
96 teams on all age groups
175 volunteers
2,040 baseballs
26,500 paper cups (for the water in the dugouts)
1 15U MCYSA/USSSA Summer (VERY) International Champion

Priceless!!!!

2010 MCYSA Summer International Championship dates
July 23 - August 1

Japan, Puerto Rico, New Zealand, Dominican Republic, Panama, Russia, Brazil and Canada already have committed. We have a team from Vietnam that will be coming and we have been working with Italy, Dutch Antilles and still hope to get Sri Lanka for next year.

Thank you to all for the effort that was put forth this year.

Already underway for 2010.

Mack - Don't know if you knew but the Family Pass for four people was $65.00 for the entire tournament. It would get you in to any site, any age level. If you want to come next year - get a hold of me.

Take care all,
Jack