State baseball tourney here offers chance to show off our town

It’s not often a community gets to host a state tournament that will spotlight local teams and its athletes, as well as put  the community on display for fans from across Nebraska. News was confirmed last week that Imperial will host the State Legion Baseball Tournament for the junior division July 15-19.
    It’s a big endeavor for the community and tournament director Carl Zuege, who will coordinate all the many parts that will make the 5-day, double elimination tournament happen.
    That means a lot of volunteers. We’ve already discussed it at our Imperial Lions Club meeting. Our members are willing to help out where needed—maybe taking tickets or helping with concessions.
    What about your organization or family? Hopefully, all of us will step up when the word goes out for volunteers. A meeting will be held in the coming days to start the ball rolling.
    What a chance, too,  it will be for local businesses to promote what they have to offer during the 5 days of games featuring eight teams—Hey, Chamber of Commerce, how about a week of promotions at our local retailers?
    I can see the business promos now: “Hey, baseball fans, hit a homerun when you come into our store for these deals!”
    Or, “Don’t get caught looking—these specials won’t last long!”
    Baseball has a good reputation in Imperial, and fans across Nebraska are beginning to learn that. Our teams have been a presence at state tournaments held across the state the last several years, likely one of the reasons state Legion officials selected Imperial as a state host this year. Imperial is a baseball town.
    Local baseball gurus like Zuege, Bruce Peterson, Brad Moline and others have long promoted the sport here. Their hard work and love of the sport, along with the talent of our players, have paid off.