News

ASA national softball tournament to slide into Aurora Aug. 2 Six-day tournament to attract top 92 teams of girls 12 - under from across the country Date: July 28, 2005 The top 92 softball teams in the girls 12 – under category, including five teams from Colorado, will converge on the Aurora Sports Park beginning Tuesday to compete for the national championship in the Amateur Softball Association’s 2005 ASA Class A Girls 12 – Under National Fast-Pitch Tournament. To help usher in the tournament, Lavonne “Pepper” Paire-Davis of the legendary All-American Girls Baseball League from 1943 to 1954 will be on hand at the tournament’s opening ceremonies beginning at 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 1, at the Aurora Public Schools Stadium at Hinkley High School. The 92-year-old Paire-Davis also will sign autographs for players and spectators from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 2 and 3 at the Aurora Sports Park while games are in play. These are the most teams competing in this tournament—which wraps up Aug. 7—in the past five years. This is the first year the city of Aurora has hosted the ASA Class A Girls 12 – Under National Fast-Pitch Tournament. A total of 215 games will be played in this competition for the national crown. Games will begin at 8 a.m. on opening day Tuesday, Aug. 2, and each subsequent day, with the last games beginning at 4:30 p.m. daily. For game schedules, tickets and other information, call the Aurora Sports Office at 303-326-8700. Twenty-seven sports tournaments are happening in Aurora this year, including two regional tournaments and two national tournaments, in sports such as baseball, soccer and softball. The economic impact of the tournaments that Aurora hosts is significant. For just these four major tournaments, more than 25,425 players, parents and visitors are expected to travel to Aurora, bringing an estimated $17.8 million to the city through hotel stays, dining and shopping.