From The Daily Courier
PRESCOTT – As a child growing up in Prescott, and extending into adulthood, former Prescott City Councilman and Prescott Police Officer John Hanna Sr. had a passion for softball and baseball.
To honor Hanna, who died in October 2013, the Prescott Recreation Services Department has planned an inaugural fast-pitch softball tournament over the Memorial Day weekend.
The John Hanna Sr. Fast Pitch Invitational will take place Saturday and Sunday, May 23-24, at Ken Lindley Field, 702 E. Gurley St.
Tournament Director Andy Eggen notes that the event will start with six teams this year, with hopes that it will grow “to a much bigger venue in 2016, and into the future.”
Eggen said he hopes to build the tournament to a large enough event that it will require use of the Pioneer Park complex in future years.
This year’s participants will include the Southern California Bandits, Window Rock, Wilcox, and three local teams, the Prescott Regulators, Barros Roofing, and the Prescott Patriots.
Hanna’s widow Sherrie says the idea for the tournament arose after the city’s recreation department received a number of requests for a tournament to honor Hanna.
“He played since he was 14 years old,” Sherrie said of John. “He grew up playing fast-pitch, and in high school, he played baseball.
As an adult, Hanna continued to compete, traveling to world tournaments in Canada and the U.S. He also played often with his sons, John Jr. and Jake.
A news release on the tournament states:“(Hanna’s) love for softball and the City of Prescott was unparalleled. There will be many of his former teammates and former competitors participating in this event, including his son Jake Hanna, who will be playing for the Prescott Patriots.”
Sherrie said she hopes the idea will catch on and “blossom into something big.”
The tournament will feature the use of wood bats and will be sanctioned by the North American Fastpitch Association (NAFA). The transition from composite to wooden bats is becoming more popular with the Men’s Fast Pitch program, the news release states, because it increases safety for the pitchers and deters illegal bats from entering the games.
The tournament will begin Saturday morning, and will feature pool play games to seed teams into Sunday’s single-elimination tournament.
The championship game is slated for late Sunday afternoon.
There is no admission charge for the tournament, and the recreation department urges the public to attend “to see some great fast pitch softball” over the holiday weekend.