CLEARFIELD — Seven teams will vie for the title in the 18th annual Clearfield “Past-Your-Prime” Modified Fast-Pitch Softball Tournament for players 40 and older this weekend.
The double-elimination tourney will get under way Saturday with the defending champion Bedford Hillbillies going against Clearfield Electric at 9:30 a.m. at Bucky Strunk Memorial Field, site for all of the action.
The other two first-round games will follow, Siegel Engraving/Buster’s Sports Bar against Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub at 10:45 and Potter’s Bricklayers of Philipsburg against the Emporium “Used To Be Goods” at noon.
The Meatheads received a bye into the winner’s bracket semifinals, where they will meet either the Bedford Hillbillies or Clearfield Electric at 1:15 p.m.
The other semi is set for 2:30.
Elimination bracket games at 3:45, 5, 6:15 and 7:30 will pare the field to three teams for Sunday.
Second-day action shows the winner’s bracket final at 9:30 a.m., the elimination bracket semifinal at 10:45, the elimination bracket final at noon and the championship game at 1:15 p.m.
If an extra game is necessary, the first pitch will be delivered at 2:30.
Two teams that dominated in the early years own a combined 11 titles, Potter’s with seven and the Meatheads with four.
Denny’s prevailed in 2010 after sharing top honors with Aqua Specialists of Mechanicsburg in 2008.
Buster’s Sports Bar and Legends Sports Bar & Grill each have one championship.
All proceeds over the years have gone to support youths in the area, with the majority of the proceeds generated by the sale of hot food and cold beverages as well as various fund-raisers in recent years going to the Marine Corps League’s “Toys for Tots” project backed by the Sergeant William L. Dixon Detachment in Clearfield.
The tournament committee relies on very giving businesses and individuals in the area to either donate or provide funds for all of the food, beverages and prizes for the fund-raisers.