Inaugural baseball tourney a huge success

The OYA Orland Park Warriors 10U travel baseball team hosted their inaugural “2017 Warriors 10 U Weekend Rumble” baseball tournament from May 3 through May 7, 2017.

The tournament consisted of 10 teams from local and regional communities including Orland Park, Tinley and as far away as Cary, Illinois.

While the weather was more akin to late October, causing an evening chill for most games, the competition was fierce resulting in a five-day stretch of great youth baseball.

The last two teams standing, after the pool and bracket play, were the Tinley Park Bobcats and the host 10U Orland Park Warriors.

OYA Warriors win the first annual 2017 OYA Warriors 10U Weekend Rumble benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project. Photo courtesy of Gerardo Lopez

On championship day the sun finally was able to shine and moderate temperatures returned. After a thrilling 6 inning game competition, the host team prevailed with a 6 to 3 victory giving the 10U Warriors their first championship of the season.

Organizers were grateful to all the teams that participated and praised all of the team members for a spectacular performance.

Manager Tom McAuliffe said, “We wanted to create a tournament where these young boys would gain an appreciation for the men and women whose daily sacrifices allow them to play the game they love and live in the greatest place on Earth.”

Mission accomplished, organizers said, as a portion of the entry fees, coupled with sponsorships obtained by the coaches and parents alike went towards the Wounded Warrior Project.

Through their efforts, the 10U Warriors competition raised close to $1,200 for the Wounded Warrior Project. None of this would have been possible without the support of the many sponsors who contributed to the series with respect to the sacrifices made by our military veterans.

OYA Warriors win the first annual 2017 OYA Warriors 10U Weekend Rumble benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project. Photo courtesy of Gerardo Lopez

The donors included:

The Orland Fire Chiefs Association

Local 2754 — Orland Professional Firefighters

Beauty Counter

Next Door & Window, James J. Roche & Associates

Line Drive Baseball

Special thanks goes to Ortiz Contracting Group for their outstanding tournament sponsorship of $2,5000. Without the donation from Ortiz Contracting Group it would not have been possible to host this great series for our young baseball players.

The coaches and parents of the 10U Warriors extend their sincere gratitude to all of the sponsors and to the public for their support.

Due to the overwhelming success of the inaugural 10U tournament, the OYA Warriors program is looking forward to expanding it to other age groups starting next year.

Information on the 2018 Weekend Warrior Rumble will be available at their website at www.OYABoys.org early next year.

OYA Warriors and Tinley Park Bobcats pose following their series game. OYA Warriors win the first annual 2017 OYA Warriors 10U Weekend Rumble benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project. Photo courtesy of Gerardo Lopez

OYA Warriors win the first annual 2017 OYA Warriors 10U Weekend Rumble benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project. Photo courtesy of Gerardo Lopez

The Orland Warriors. OYA Warriors win the first annual 2017 OYA Warriors 10U Weekend Rumble benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project. Photo courtesy of Gerardo Lopez

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Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award winning columnist, author and former Chicago City Hall reporter (1976-1992).

He is the recipient of four (4) Chicago Headline Club Lisagor Awards, the 2009 Sigma Delta Chi Award for journalism, and was named Best Ethnic American Columnist by the New America Media in 2007.

His personal web page is The Daily Hookah at www.TheDailyHookah.com (and www.RayHanania.com).

Hanania writes a weekly syndicated column for the Arab News in Saudi Arabia and is the managing editor of the American Arab online news website, www.TheArabDailyNews.com.

His mainstream columns are published in Chicago's Southwest Side and Suburbs in The Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, the Southwest News-Herald and the Des Plaines Valley News.

Hanania is the managing editor of Suburban Chicagoland Online News website www.SuburbanChicagoland.com.

Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com