GREENVILLE — Twenty-four youth baseball teams from across the region took the field this weekend as the Greenville Citizens Baseball League hosted its 39th Annual Annie Oakley Classic Baseball Tournament at Sater Heights Park.
The annual tournament once again showcased not only competitive baseball but also the community spirit that has made the Greenville Citizens Baseball League one of the area’s premier youth baseball organizations.
GCBL offers baseball opportunities for players ages 3 through junior high and relies on an extensive network of volunteers who organize tournaments, coach teams, maintain the Sater Heights complex, and operate the league’s popular concession stand.
“We have Winner’s Meats pork chops, which don’t last very long — everybody loves them,” GCBL Commissioner Brent Short said. “Concessions are always the biggest money maker for a tournament like this. The entry fees basically pay for the umpires. We appreciate everybody’s donations.”
The concession stand has become a tournament attraction in its own right, with the popular Winner’s Meats pork chops and hamburgers selling out quickly throughout the weekend.
The Annie Oakley Classic continues to draw teams from well beyond Darke County, adding to the tournament’s reputation.
“One of our teams is from two hours north of us,” Short said. “They haven’t played here before, but they heard a lot about us, so they were really excited to come here and play.”
Another highlight for visiting teams is the league’s newest facility improvement — the artificial turf installed on Diamond 7.
“We hear a lot of talk about Diamond 7,” Short said. “When we started putting these tournaments together, people who have played here tell others how nice the facility is. The upgrades to Diamond 7 are really nice, so people are excited to come and play on that field.”
Short credited the league’s volunteers and board members for making the tournament and the organization’s other annual events successful.
“I want to thank my board members, Brian Westfall, who helped put this tournament together, and Ashlee Brinley, who, behind the scenes, does a lot of paperwork and secretarial work that people don’t see but is a big part of it,” Short said. “I get to be the face of things, but they really do most of the work, and without them it doesn’t get done, so we appreciate that.”
In addition to the Annie Oakley Classic, GCBL hosts the Summer Kick-Off Bash and the Tyler Kuhn Memorial Tournament annually.
The league is governed by an eight-member Board of Directors led by Commissioner Brent Short. Other board members include Vice Commissioner Matt Brinley, Treasurer Robbie Jones, Secretary Ashlee Brinley, Concession Stand Manager Ben Edwards, Equipment Manager Reuben King, and Business Manager Brian Westfall. The organization is also supported by a Board of Trustees consisting of Matt Myers, Scott Holzapfel, Daniel Jones, Jesse Brents, and Matt Brinley.
Through the dedication of its volunteers and continued community support, GCBL has built a reputation for providing quality youth baseball experiences while maintaining one of the area’s top tournament facilities.
