Yesterday, the Department of Parks & Recreation’s Elderly Activities Division (EAD) kicked off the 49th Annual Hawai‘i Kupuna Softball Tournament.
21 teams and over 400 players from around the Hawaii County will participate in the two-day tournament which is being held at the Walter C.K. Victor Baseball Complex in Hilo.
An opening ceremony marked the start of the tournament with a heartfelt blessing, the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner and Hawai’i Pono’ī, and a ceremonial first pitch thrown by Mayor Mitch Roth.
The games played during this tournament will count toward the seeding for the Hawai‘i State Senior Citizens Softball Tournament, which will be hosted by EAD at Kailua Park in Kona from August 6-8. The County of Hawai‘i hosts this statewide tournament every four years, and 62 teams will participate.
Photo credit: Office of Mayor Mitch Roth