Crime Stoppers readies for long bombers

Crime Stoppers usually wants information to collar the bad guys, but this time around they are looking for people who routinely use bats in the CNMI to participate in the 4th Annual NMI Crime Stoppers Slow Pitch Softball Tournament.

According to tournament coordinator Rodney Klinge, the underhanded extravaganza gets underway on Saturday, Jan. 28 and continues through Sunday, Jan. 29, but teams hoping to take part in the festivities need to sign up soon.

In the 2006 edition of the tournament, only 10 teams will be permitted to compete for the trophy and $300 prize for first place. The first 10 teams to sign up and pay in full will take part in all of the fun in the sun.

Besides the first place prizes, there will be a trophy and $200 awarded to the first runner up, a trophy and $150 for the second runner up, and trophies for the third and fourth runner ups.

All of the fun of the homerun derby will take place in Sunday afternoon as some of Saipan’s sultans of swat will be returning to vie for the $50 prize for the most long balls, but prizes till be awarded to the top three.

Last year Joe Guerrero was able to emerge with a consistent level of power that landed him the title of the 2005 Homerun Derby Champion. Guerrero faced some stiff competition from fellow No Ka Oi teammates Nick Castro and Tony Camacho, but the big man was able to continue sending moon shots out of the park, while his rivals faded into the midday sun.

In all, Guerrero sent nine balls out of the baseball field in the winner-take-all finals, while Camacho and Castro hit fewer than that when it counted the most.

Homeruns won’t be the only way to win special prizes during the weekend hit fest as will be raffling off a number of items including a roundtrip ticket to Manila and another ticket to Hong Kong (one winner per ticket) as a part of the Grand Prize Raffle sponsored by Continental Airlines.

Raffle tickets are only $1 apiece, and entrants of the homerun contest automatically receive 20 tickets for their $20 entry fee.

To enter the event, simply stop down to Car Quest in Chalan Kanoa and fill out the entry and waiver forms, and pay the entry fee. The cost to enter a team in the annual tournament is $250 if paid in full before Wednesday, Jan. 18. Those who enter anytime thereafter will pay a bit more at $350. To enter the homerun derby, the cost is $20 per individual. All checks should be made out to NMI Crime Stoppers.

Tournament organizers wish to remind all players that Continental Airlines is the exclusive and Official Airline of the NMI Crime Stoppers Softball Tournament. Continental Airlines employees, dependents and affiliates are not eligible to win Continental prizes and the prize letters cannot be redeemed for any other events sponsored by Continental Airlines.

For further information, contact Eric David by calling 664-9022, or Jim Ripple by calling 235-2302.