`Dimes’ softball tourney pins hope on snow in January

It will soon be that time of year again … at least, the Maine State Chapter of the March of Dimes hopes it will.

The March of Dimes and other organizers of the Sno-Ball Softball ’91 softball tournament are hoping the third time’s the charm after having to cancel the tournament for the second straight time last year.

“We haven’t had much help from the weather the last two years,” said Chris Olsen, community director for the March of Dimes. “But we’re hoping to get plenty of snow this time.”

And just in case the weather doesn’t cooperate fully, Olsen and Comoany have set up alternate dates to hold the tournament if they have to postpone it. Sno-Ball Softball ’91 is scheduled for Jan. 19-20. The alternate dates are Feb. 9-10.

This annual event began in 1982. The tournament is a fund-raiser for the Maine State Chapter of the March of Dimes, a non-profit agency dedicated to the prevention of birth defects.

The eighth running of the tourney will bring some changes: games will be played at a few new fields this year and the tourney had a slight change in sponsorship.

Although the official sponsor is still Lite Beer, the local representative of Lite Beer has switched from Haffenreffer Beverage Co. of Brewer to Pine State Beverage (Tobacco and Candy) Co. of Augusta.

The change in field locations involved a switch from the fields near the Bangor International Airport off Godfrey Boulevard to fields located on the grounds of Husson College.

“The new location is more central and its less open to the wind,” said Craig Orff, recreation superintendent of the Bangor Parks and Recreation Department. “We’re going from eight fields (at the Airport) to four, but that shouldn’t make it too much harder to schedule games.”

Games will be played at five field locations in Bangor – Husson College, Bangor High School, Union Street Field, Dow Fields and Bass ParkBangor High School, Union Street Field, Dow Fields and Bass Park.

No other major changes have been planned. The entry fee per team is still $110. The tourney field is limited to the first 90 teams which enter. Each team must supply an umpire and at least 10 players.

Orange softballs and bases will be provided, but parkas and thermal underwear won’t, so dress accordingly.

The tournament field is divided into two divisions of play: “Less Filling” – a coed division with at least four female players per team playing at all times and “Tastes Great” – an open division open to any team. Because the Less Filling division is usually quite crowded, it will be further divided into two subdivisions.

Entry forms are available at the parks and recreation department offices in Orono, Bangor and Brewer; the March of Dimes office in Brewer; and the Bangor Elks Lodge, which will act as tournament headquarters during the two-day event.