[7/30/04]For its final sendoff to the summer baseball season, the Governor’s Cup is going old school. Or old, at least.

For the first time since 1998, and just the second time ever, Vicksburg’s showcase event for youth baseball will have a 15-16-year-olds’ division. It’s the first time since 2001, when there was a 14-15-year-olds’ age group, that the tournament will include any 15-year-olds.

Five other age groups will also begin play tonight in the second and final weekend of the tournament. A total of 30 teams in the 5-6, 7-, 9-, 12- and 13-year-olds’ brackets will participate this weekend. Games start at 6 p.m. tonight at Halls Ferry Park and Bazinsky Field. Admission is $3 per person per day.

The 15-16-year-olds’ group was added at the suggestion of a Vicksburg Baseball Association board member who thought it might be a way to include area high schools in the Governor’s Cup.

With school starting next week, however, most high school summer teams have long since finished their summer schedules and their players have scattered. Only three teams are entered in the 15-16-year-olds’ bracket, including the Vicksburg Stars, a hodgepodge group of players from area high school teams.

“They like to finish up in mid-summer and let the boys have some time off, and we totally understand that. There’s no hard feelings there,” Governor’s Cup co-director Stan Woodson said. “We thought high school teams might be interested, but it turns out it’s just a little too late in the summer.”

The increased emphasis on summer leagues, as well as the Cup’s late date, will probably limit the opportunities for older age groups in the future. Instead, next year’s tournament could feature a 14-15-year-olds’ group.

“I think it would be hard to get the 16s on a consistent basis. Next year you might see us get the 14s or 15s,” tournament co-director William “Boozer” Emerson said. “Each year we learn. We try to improve, and learn things that maybe we need to change.”

Even with the low turnout in the 15-16-year-olds’ bracket, it figures to be a busy weekend around Halls Ferry Park. All seven fields at the complex will be in use on Saturday.

And while the two-week total of 58 teams is slightly less than the last few years, when as many as 62 teams participated, it’s not enough to make a significant difference in the VBA’s pocketbook. The Governor’s Cup is the organization’s biggest fundraiser.

“It’s going to be a good weekend. It might not be a record weekend, but it’ll be a good weekend,” Woodson said. “I don’t think it reflects a decline in the perception of the tournament by the public. It’s just the timing of it.”

2004 GOVERNOR’S CUP, WEEKEND 2

Field key: A-American; X-BMX; D-Delta; N-National; B-Bluff; R-Babe Ruth

5-6-year-olds

All games at BMX Field unless noted

Today

6 p.m. – (A) River City Rascals vs. Vicksburg Bandits

Saturday

9 a.m. – Orange Crush vs. Clinton Arrows

10:30 a.m. – G’ville Grasshoppers vs. Vicksburg Bandits

12:30 p.m. – River City Rascals vs. Clinton Arrows

2 p.m. – Orange Crush vs. Greenville Grasshoppers

4:30 p.m. – No. 4 seed vs. No. 5 seed

Sunday

11 a.m. – No. 2 seed vs. No. 3 seed

12:30 p.m. – No. 1 seed vs. No. 4 or No. 5 seed

2:30 p.m. – Third-place game

4 p.m. – Championship game

7-year-olds

All games at American Field

Today

7:30 p.m. – Culkin vs. Vicksburg

Saturday

10 a.m. – Greenville vs. Brandon

Noon – Culkin vs. Greenville

2 p.m. – Vicksburg vs. Brandon

4 p.m. – Brandon vs. Culkin

6 p.m. – Greenville vs. Vicksburg

Sunday

10 a.m. – No. 2 seed vs. No. 3 seed

Noon – No. 1 seed vs. No. 4 seed

2 p.m. – Consolation game

4 p.m. – Championship game

9-year-olds

All games on National Field unless noted

Today

6 p.m. – Mississippi Mudcats vs. Brandon Bulldogs

8 p.m. – Mississippi Sliders vs. Tri-County Braves

Saturday

9 a.m. – Forest Hill Heaters vs. Delta Giants

11 a.m. – Mississippi Sliders vs. Brandon Bulldogs

1 p.m. – Mississippi Mudcats vs. Forest Hill Heaters

3 p.m. – Delta Giants vs. Mississippi Sliders

5 p.m. – Mississippi Mudcats vs. Tri-County Braves

7 p.m. – Brandon Bulldogs vs. Forest Hill Heaters

8 p.m. – (A) Delta Giants vs. Tri-County Braves

Sunday

10 a.m. – Pool A winner vs. Pool B No. 2

Noon – Pool B winner vs. Pool A No. 2

2 p.m. – Consolation game

4 p.m. – Championship game

12-year-olds

Today

6 p.m. – (B) Vicksburg Vipers vs. VC Bullets

6 p.m. – (D) V’burg Hurricanes vs. Forest Hill Cardinals

8 p.m. – (B) Cleveland All-Stars vs. Natchez Braves

8 p.m. – (D) Greenville Heat vs. Tri-County Cougars

Saturday

10 a.m. – (B) Vicksburg Vipers vs. Cleveland All-Stars

10 a.m. – (D) VC Bullets vs. Natchez Braves

1 p.m. – (B) Greenville Heat vs. Vicksburg Hurricanes

1 p.m. – (D) Tri-County Cougars vs. Forest Hill Cardinals

3:30 p.m. – (B) Vicksburg Vipers vs. Natchez Braves

3:30 p.m. – (D) VC Bullets vs. Cleveland All-Stars

6 p.m. – (B) Greenville Heat vs. Forest Hill Cardinals

6 p.m. – (D) Tri-County Cougars vs. Vicksburg Hurricanes

Sunday

1 p.m. – (B) Pool 1 winner vs. Wildcard No. 1

1 p.m. – (D) Pool 2 winner vs. Wildcard No. 2

4 p.m. – (D) Consolation game

4 p.m. – (B) Championship game

13-year-olds

All games at Babe Ruth Field

Today

6 p.m. – Vicksburg Heat vs. Madison 96ers

8 p.m. – Vidalia Vipers vs. Louisiana Outlaws

Saturday

10 a.m. – Madison 96ers vs. Vidalia Vipers

1 p.m. – Vicksburg Heat vs. Louisiana Outlaws

4 p.m. – Madison 96ers vs. Louisiana Outlaws

7 p.m. – Vicksburg Heat vs. Vidalia Vipers

Sunday

10 a.m. – No. 1 seed vs. No. 4 seed

1 p.m. – No. 2 seed vs. No. 3 seed

4 p.m. – Championship game

15-16-year-olds

All games at Bazinsky Field

Saturday

10 a.m. – Alpha A’s vs. Madison Jaguars

1 p.m. – Vicksburg Stars vs. Madison Jaguars

4 p.m. – Vicksburg Stars vs. Alpha A’s

Sunday

1 p.m. – No. 2 seed vs. No. 3 seed

4 p.m. – No. 1 seed vs. No. 2 or No. 3 seed, championship