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Show Piimeeir Days Fasftpitelh) To Begin, Friday ; By DAVE WIGHAM The annual Pioneer Days mens major fastpitch Softball tournament is set to begin Friday Fri-day July 17 at the Cottonwood Complex, 4400 S. 13th E.The tourney will have 24 teams competing in the double elimination elimi-nation event that runs Saturday Satur-day and Sunday with the championship game scheduled for Sunday at 7 p.m. The annual tournament is considered consi-dered one of the finest in the county and is jointly sponsored spon-sored by the Valley Sorts Association and the Salt Lake County Recreation Dept. THIS YEAR'S tourney appears to be one of the most competitive in several years. Of the 24 teams, 13 have been in national or world tournaments tourna-ments the past two years. In addition, there will be in excess ex-cess of 35 all-America players involved. Friday evening's opening involves in-volves eight tournament games, one exhibition game involving in-volving the top two boy's fast-pitch fast-pitch teams in the Salt Lake area plus an appearance by the popular Lagoon Show Band. BESIDES THE top players from around the nation who will compete there are many of the top local players who will play. Ken Hackmeister, one of the finest catchers in the area, will be playing for Miller Toyota. Three other players on that side with local interest will be Gary Cleverly who played his prep ball at Viewmont and who currently lives and coaches in the Kearns area. Ross Caputo, the older brother of View-monts View-monts Steve, is a standout fast-pitch fast-pitch player who is known for his hitting. Then too Brad Bor-rup, Bor-rup, who played ball at BYU, now makes his home in Davis County. STAN BUCANNON is a teacher at Millcreek Junior and a coach at Bountiful High is considered one of the best hitters hit-ters in the league. Stan plays for Plumbers Supply, the top side in Utah this year. Val Ca-hoon Ca-hoon also plays for the Plumbers Plum-bers side. Val Cullimore, the baseball coach at Woods Cross, plays for Page Brake out of Salt Lake City. Val is a great catcher, as he was in high school and college, col-lege, who also still swings a mean bat. RANDY JOHNSON, a teacher at Centerville and coach at Viewmont, will be playing in this event. Although he doesn't play for one of the metro sides in Salt Lake, Randy is a great hitter and one of the local sides has picked him up for this tournament. tourna-ment. Other local players who may see action include Ray Meibos and the coach of Clearfield, and Kent Draayer the coach at Davis. |