News story

Mobile Ready to Welcome 2003 World Championships

Sept. 1, 2003 – Jack Sirard contributing writer

MOBILE, Alabama ˆ Senior softball players coming to this city for the 2003 Major, AAA, Masters and Women's Championships in October can expect a warm welcome from residents and tournament officials.

Not only is this the city that is home to the original Mardi Gras, instituted in 1703 some 63 years before New Orleans came aboard, but it's also the home to Hall of Famers Hank Aaron and Willie McCovey.

"The Mobile Area Sports Commission, the city and county of Mobile and the Mobile Area Convention & Visitors Bureau are really looking forward to hosting the 2003 Senior Softball World Championships," says Danny Corte, president of the sports commission.

"We're getting everything ready in historic Mobile to welcome the teams from literally around the world," he says.

Because Mobile is situated along the northern Gulf of Mexico coast, the mild temperatures in October, which usually range from the upper 50s to the low 80s, should be ideal for incoming players. At the same time, October is the city's driest month of the year.

"I'm especially looking forward to seeing the 75 and older divisions competing, as it will give me something to aspire to when I reach that golden age," Corte says.

"So, come on down south, get ready to eat some great fresh seafood and get ready to have some fun," he adds. "The city will see all the players and friends in October." The World Championships in Mobile will take place Oct. 16-26 for softball players aged 40 to 80 and will include an international division.

The sport of softball has been a big part of Mobile's long-time sports tradition with many national and world tournaments being played here over the past 25 years. The Mobile area's baseball tradition also has helped softball flourish in the area.

Mobile has five members in the National Baseball Hall of Fame who grew up or were born in the area. They include home run champions Aaron, McCovey, Satchel Paige, Billy Williams and Ozzie Smith.

The national tournament will be played at both Medal of Honor and West Mobile County Parks. Located just five miles apart, Medal of Honor Park has four softball diamonds and the West Mobile County Park has six diamonds.

All fields have lights for night play, electric scoreboards and concession stands. The Mobile Regional Airport is located just a few miles from both facilities and numerous hotels.

Teams will be scheduled to play six games. There will be a random draw of teams at the initial manager's meeting to determine the brackets of play within each division. Teams will play round-robin games into a modified double-elimination for the championships.

Softball players will be visiting the city during what is normally the slow time of the year for area hotels. That should benefit both the players and the city.

The city and county of Mobile are situated in southwest Alabama on the Northern Gulf of Mexico, about 30 minutes from various beaches. The 300-year-old city has numerous historic homes and grand mansions along with a half-dozen period house museums set amid lush gardens.

Other local attractions include the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, the newly reopened Museum of Mobile, the Gulf Coast Exploreum and IMAX Theatre as well as the Bellingrath Gardens.

Among the city's many claims to fame is being ranked one of the five most polite cities in the nation and a Top Ten ranking as one of the nation's best places to play golf. The world famous Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail has a course in Mobile and once a year the LPGA's leading contenders meet there to contest the AFLAC Champions Tournament.

Terry Hennessy, chief executive officer of Senior Softball-USA, said that Mobile was selected to host this important national tournament because "it has so much to offer for so many visitors. It is a one-of-a kind city that exudes Southern charm."

Michael C. Dow, mayor of Mobile, says his city "is a dynamic city and our hotels and restaurants are world renowned and impress the most knowledgeable traveler." Joe McCray, of the Mobile Convention & Visitors Bureau points out that "Mobile is a beautiful historic city full of old world charm, true southern hospitality and all the modern facilities and resources to accommodate the most discriminating guest."

As one of the nation's oldest cities, Mobile has a reverence for the past and a commitment to the creative spirit. If you set out to see something truly handmade and unique, you'd have a total of 17 museums to choose from. Of those, four are completely restored antebellum homes. On the outside, there are exquisite specimens of specific architectural styles and on the inside every room is a showcase for antique furniture, porcelain, china, portraiture, silver and other finery.

The old Mobile City Hall is the oldest seat of city government in the United States still in use today. When it was first built, the building housed a southern market on its bottom floor and also held a social center where Mobilians went to socialize and be entertained. In the fall 2001, and after extensive restoration and renovation, it opened as the new home of the Museum of Mobile, highlighting the city's 300-year history.