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‘This tournament means so much’: Peru celebrating 40th anniversary of Central Region Tournament · Illinois Valley - Shaw Local

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  Speaker 1: This tournament means so much. Peru celebrating fortieth anniversary of
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  Speaker 1: Central Region Tournament. Written by Kevin Schlum, This article is
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  Speaker 1: being read by an automated voice brought to you by Everlett.
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  Speaker 1: In nineteen seventy nine, with Little League Baseball searching for
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  Speaker 1: a new home for the Senior League Central Region Tournament,
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  Speaker 1: District twenty, administrator Bo Windy sent a letter to Central
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  Speaker 1: Regional Director Scott Lowry in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, offering to host
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  Speaker 1: the tournament in Peru. Windy was persistent, and eventually Lowry
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  Speaker 1: came to visit Washington Park on a cold, wintry February day. However,
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  Speaker 1: Washington Park did not have lights or a permanent fence,
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  Speaker 1: both of which Lowery needed for the tournament. Still, Lowry
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  Speaker 1: agreed to meet with Windy and city officials that night.
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  Speaker 1: As a result of that meeting, Bo said, give me
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  Speaker 1: two years and I'll give you everything you want. Lowry said,
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  Speaker 1: I was impressed with his enthusiasm. Two years passed and
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  Speaker 1: he delivered on everything. With the city's help. They got lights,
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  Speaker 1: they got a fence, they made other improvements to the field.
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  Speaker 1: In nineteen eighty five, Peru was awarded the tournament. It
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  Speaker 1: was played at Washington Park for the first time in
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  Speaker 1: nineteen eighty six. On Friday, the fortieth anniversary of the tournament,
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  Speaker 1: will be celebrated with opening ceremonies at Washington Park beginning
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  Speaker 1: at six pm. Games begins Saturday morning, and the tournament
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  Speaker 1: ends with Thursday's championship. This tournament means so much to
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  Speaker 1: so many Peru Little League, the city of Peru, the
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  Speaker 1: people of Peru who love baseball, local motels, business owners,
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  Speaker 1: gas stations, and the list goes on. Wendy said, for myself,
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  Speaker 1: it touches me that I selected the right people in
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  Speaker 1: making this the best. Many of the things that we
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  Speaker 1: did have been copied by many other tournaments around the country.
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  Speaker 1: Peru is called the leader of the Valley. This tournament
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  Speaker 1: was the leader of all tournaments. Once Little League awarded
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  Speaker 1: the tournament to Peru, Wendy said it took many people
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  Speaker 1: to prepare, with volunteers, organizing housing for teams, a banquet, amenities, announcers, programs,
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  Speaker 1: grounds crew, umpires, and more. Being a good organizer, I
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  Speaker 1: broke it down by selecting key people to the most
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  Speaker 1: important jobs. Wendy said. We had many meetings to have
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  Speaker 1: everyone up on all facets of the tournament. I was
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  Speaker 1: lucky enough to have many friends and neighbors step up
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  Speaker 1: and join us. Wendy said the tournament took off like
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  Speaker 1: wildfire with great support from the communities. He said thousands
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  Speaker 1: of fans attended games in the early years. This tournament
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  Speaker 1: was something new to all these communities. Wendy said they
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  Speaker 1: came out and supported it to the max. When the
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  Speaker 1: tournament began, players were housed with host families. Players received
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  Speaker 1: a hat, a t shirt, travel bags, passes to swim
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  Speaker 1: at the Peru pool, and a banquet. Teams also received
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  Speaker 1: a dozen baseballs and a bat. The Peru band performed,
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  Speaker 1: parachute jumpers delivered game balls, and more festivities surrounded the games.
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  Speaker 1: BO and Peru opened their doors to these kids. Lowry said,
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  Speaker 1: the kids and the families loved it. There was reluctance
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  Speaker 1: about putting kids in the home of a stranger, but
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  Speaker 1: the kids had a great time. BO, the sponsors of
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  Speaker 1: the tournament, and people throughout the community showered those kids
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  Speaker 1: with all food and good things. I think it created
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  Speaker 1: a camaraderie among not only the competing teams and players,
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  Speaker 1: but the families that housed them. They would turn out
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  Speaker 1: to cheer on the kids. It became a special place
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  Speaker 1: to go because they had done that in the early years,
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  Speaker 1: and the words spread. I think that set the stage.
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  Speaker 1: The tournament did leave Peru briefly twice. The tournament left
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  Speaker 1: after Windy resigned in nineteen ninety seven, but was brought
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  Speaker 1: back under Jim mcveagh's leadership. It left from two eight
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  Speaker 1: to ten after McVey died, but returned under the current
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  Speaker 1: district administrator, Tim Trevier. We are very good hosts, I think,
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  Speaker 1: Trevier said, with our volunteers. If people coming to the
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  Speaker 1: tournament need anything, their needs are taken care of. We
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  Speaker 1: go above and beyond. I believe in that after decades
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  Speaker 1: in Little League at the local and national level, Lowry
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  Speaker 1: knows how much work goes into running a tournament. I
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  Speaker 1: want to congratulate the city of Peru, Lowry said, I
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  Speaker 1: was involved with Little League Baseball for a long time
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  Speaker 1: and still am at the local level in South Williamsport.
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  Speaker 1: To do what they have done for the length of
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  Speaker 1: time they have done it is certainly a tribute to
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  Speaker 1: the community and their willingness to support youth sports. Running
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  Speaker 1: this kind of tournament takes a lot of commitment. Things
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  Speaker 1: have changed society wise from what they were forty years ago.
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  Speaker 1: To keep that enthusiasm up and welcome these teams for
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  Speaker 1: a highlight of a fourteen to fifteen year old kids
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  Speaker 1: baseball summer, it's a tribute to them. I congratulate them
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  Speaker 1: for sticking to this. Trevier is entering the final stretch
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  Speaker 1: of his time as district administrator. He was elected this
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  Speaker 1: year for another four year term, which will be his last.
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  Speaker 1: He hopes the tournament stays in the Illinois Valley beyond
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  Speaker 1: his tenure. The two directors before me, Bo Wendy and
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  Speaker 1: my uncle Jim mcvee. They were the backbone of the tournament,
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  Speaker 1: Trevier said. When I took over the volunteers I had,
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  Speaker 1: most of them are still with me. They do all
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  Speaker 1: the work. I can't thank them enough. The City of
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  Speaker 1: Peru allowing us to have this tournament for so many
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  Speaker 1: years is a testament to the city. Bob GigE. You
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  Speaker 1: can't find a better grounds guy than him. He's great
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  Speaker 1: to work with and very accommodating. We have all that
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  Speaker 1: in our back pocket, and as long as we do,
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  Speaker 1: I don't see the tournament leaving Peru in the near future,