Greenwood County to be hotbed for youth baseball in ’19

Greenwood County will be a hotbed of activity for youth baseball in 2019, with a pair of organizations hosting tournaments over 12 weekends that will bring thousands of people to the area.

Last week, Greenwood Emerald Baseball Club president Matt Howard told the County Council that Concord, North Carolina-based Top Gun Sports and the United States Specialty Sports Association have agreed to bring league play on weekends starting March 2.

In all, the tournaments will bring in about 2,100 people each – that’s 25,200 in all.

“Some will be making a day trip and will be frequenting our restaurants, and some will require overnight lodging,” Howard said. “We typically have not been a destination for these, but there’s opportunity here.”

Howard credited county parks and recreation director Tripp May with helping to secure some of the tournaments, and making sure the Wilbanks complex is kept in well enough condition to allow for the added traffic.

The USSSA is a breeding ground for top baseball talent. Alumni include Boston Red Sox pitcher David Price, who played a key role in leading the team to a World Series title over the Los Angeles Dodgers last year.

Bryce Harper, the National League’s 2015 MVP, also played USSSA ball, as did 2014 World Series MVP Madison Bumgarner.

Enhancing recreational assets through the county was identified by the council as a top priority in 2019, and facilities including the Wilbanks complex, J.C. Fox “Boozer” site in Ninety Six and other locations are in line to get a combined $10.7 million worth of upgrades through the voter-approved 2016 capital projects sales tax levy.

Howard said the attendance that will accompany the tournaments would be bolstered by small investments at the Wilbanks facility, including functioning water fountains and freshly painted structures.

County Councilman Theo Lane said he was happy at the prospect of Greenwood becoming a go-to destination for youth sports.

“That’s 25,000 people you’ve already booked,” he said.

Originally Published by Index-Journal on: Jan 22, 2019

By ADAM BENSON abenson@indexjournal.com

Article Link: https://www.indexjournal.com/sports/greenwood-county-to-be-hotbed-for-youth-baseball-in-19/article_0a14ad4f-0c28-5824-b28e-2aa4c783cbbc.html