News story

Softball Eden / Trail Ends in Salem, Oregon, for AA Championships

Jan. 1, 2002 – Jack Sirard contributing writer

Like the Oregon Trail pioneers who blazed the trail west, senior softball players will likely think they too have found their Eden when they enter the Willamette Valley and the City of Salem. Oregon's capital city is considered by many to be the softball capital of the outdoor loving Pacific Northwest and has been selected to host the 2002 AA World Championships from Sept. 11-22.

The headquarters field will be the beautiful tree-lined five-field Wallace Sports Complex on the banks of the historic Willamette River. The complex with its lush green natural grass outfields, finely manicured infields and state-of-the-art electronic scoreboards is expected to draw dozens of teams from throughout the West.

Terry Hennessy, Senior Softball executive director, said his fact finding team "found a true gem when it first visited the city last year."

"We looked at all the city had to offer and knew in an instant that it would be a win-win situation. We'll be able to draw from the scores of talented teams that live in the Northwest. In addition, senior softball players from all over America and Canada will have the opportunity to visit one of the nation's most beautiful areas when the fall colors are on full display," he said.

In some highly competitive bidding, Salem won the right to host the 50, 55, 60 and 65+ AA Divisions. The city will draw on its experience as the site of the USSSA Senior Championships in 2000. "We expect at least 100 teams to compete in the 2002 AA World Championships in Salem," said Hennessy. "Salem has shown exceptional support for senior softball - and that support creates excitement and provides the foundation for a great World Championships."

He notes that the World Championships will bring an estimated $5 million in economic impact to the area.

Bill Dorney, spokesman of the Salem Metro Sports Commission, is quick to point out that Salem has hosted a number of softball tournaments over the years and it's anxiously awaiting the arrival of senior softball players.

"We're expecting 100 teams and more than 2,000 players for the 10 days and we promise them a rewarding time," he says.

Dorney says the tournament couldn't come at a better time of year for the Northwest. "We have a fantastic climate, with temperatures in the 70s, just right for playing softball. And even if there's a shower, it's usually of the short-term variety."

He says the tournament will be a shot in the arm for the economy and also give the Salem area a chance to show off its best attributes to the visitors from all over the country.

"We're really excited about the tournament," says Dorney. "We've hosted a lot of international and national tournaments in a variety of sports from the World Helicopter Championships to the National Soap Box Derby Rally, but this will be something special."

Salem is Oregon's third largest with a population of approximately 135,000. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley, one of the most fertile and agriculturally productive regions of the world.

Salem is about 50 miles south of Portland and 60 miles north of Eugene and is one of Oregon's oldest communities. The citizens of Salem also have a long history of commitment to community improvement and volunteerism . . . a commitment recognized nationally with two All-America City Awards.

Being the state capital, Salem has a lot to offer history buffs. "They can get a real sense of what Oregon's all about from checking out the sternwheeler Willamette Queen to visiting our fine wineries," says Dorney.

The ornate countryside of Salem and Marion and Polk counties is a wine growing region of rare distinction. Volcanic soil, perfect elevation and cool Pacific breezes combine to produce ideal growing conditions for cool climate vitis vinifera grapes. The area has more than two dozen wineries and vineyards that devote much attention to producing distinctive Pinot noir and Chardonnay. Pinot noir grows well in only a few places outside of Burgundy, France. Oregon is one of those places.

This past year the world-class 240-acre Oregon Garden opened just east of the city. Dorney says that the area has 2,000 hotel rooms and those that want to test their luck can find a gambling casino west of town.

For those with time to spare, the beautiful Oregon coast is only an hour drive to the West and the city of Portland also takes an hour driving north.

"Make no mistake about it. We understand the importance of events like this and we'll be going out of our way to show our hospitality," he says.

Home to the only Nordstrom between Sacramento and Portland and situated right off Interstate 5, Salem is called the needle on the compass for shopping in the Willamette Valley. From the major names in retail shops dedicated to Oregon and Salem-made products, Salem and its rural neighbors offer bountiful shopping opportunities.

Recreation abounds in the area from soaring in a glider to golf or trekking through the 8,706 acre Silver Falls State Park.

The area is known as Œthe bulb basket" home to the world's largest grower of iris. Fresh flowers, fruits, vegetables, ornamental trees, plants and Christmas trees are all grown here, the results of early wagon train settlers who looked west to Oregon's rich soils.