Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 1, 1993 TAG: 9308030307
SECTION: DISCOVER PAGE: D-88 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The Games, in their fourth year, featured 37 events, allowing participants and fans the opportunity to view a variety of sports ranging from archery to wrestling.
In addition to the Games, which are run by Virginia Amateur Sports, a wide assortment of amateur and professional events are available in the Roanoke Valley to appease the sports enthusiast.
Other area events include:
The Salem Buccaneers, a Class A-advanced affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League, play a 70-game home schedule at Municipal Field in Salem.
The Bucs compete in the Southern Division of the Carolina League from April through September. The league includes eight teams from North Carolina, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. Most home games start at 7 p.m. Ticket prices are $5 (box); $4 (reserved); $3 (general admission); $1 off for 12 and younger and senior citizens.
The Roanoke Express hockey team begins its first season of play at the Roanoke Civic Center in October. Frank Anzalone will coach the East Coast Hockey League expansion franchise, which has yet to land an NHL affiliation. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for children and senior citizens.
The Roanoke Valley Horse Show is one of the most popular events of the summer. The event, held at the Salem Civic Center in June, attracts the country's top horses and riders. The weeklong event is punctuated with the Grand Prix of Roanoke, which boasted a total purse of $125,000 this year, the richest in North America. The 23rd annual show in 1994 is expected to have a similar purse.
The championship game for Division III football, the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, will be played in Salem the next three Decembers. This year's event will kick off at noon on Dec. 11 at the 8,000-seat Salem Stadium. Tickets, available through the Salem Civic Center box office and all Ticketmaster locations, are $8 in advance, $10 on game day and $5 for high school students and youths. The Stagg Bowl matches the finalists of a 16-team tournament and will be televised on ESPN, probably on a tape-delay basis.
The Homestead Resort in Hot Springs will be the site of the 1994 U.S. Women's Amateur golf championship. The USGA event is scheduled for Aug. 8-13 at the Cascades Course and will be the sixth national golf championship to be played at The Homestead.
The Tour Du Pont, America's premier bicycling race, ran through Lynchburg, Blacksburg and Hot Springs this year. The 1,100-mile race, with stages ranging from 100 to 150 miles a day, ran from Wilmington, Del., to the North Carolina triad area in May. Roanoke officials are working to get a stop on the 1994 Tour Du Pont route.
The United States Tennis Association women's circuit makes an annual stop at Hunting Hills Country Club. The $10,000 USTA Women's Circuit of Roanoke features some of the nation's top college players as well as professionals trying to work their way up in circuit rankings. This year's event took place July 23 through today.
The Moyer Complex in Salem plays host to several national softball tournaments in the summer. The USSSA (United States Slowpitch Softball Association) men's Major National Invitational Tournament was in July. The National Softball Association (NSA) Fastpitch World Series will be Aug. 27-29 and the USSSA men's Mid-Atlantic Class B Championships are scheduled for Sept. 3-5. Next year, the NCAA Division III women's national fastpitch tournament will take place May 19-22 at Moyer Complex.
The annual matchup between Virginia Tech and Virginia to determine basketball bragging rights in the state is scheduled for March 2, 1994, at the Roanoke Civic Center.
The Salem Civic Center has been home to the the Old Dominion Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament for the past 14 years. This season's event will be Feb. 25-26, 1994.
The Roanoke Valley offers several opportunities for auto racing fanatics. Franklin County Speedway in Callaway holds races on Saturdays from April through September in Late Model, Street Stock, Mini Stock, Pure Stock and Rookie divisions. New River Valley Speedway in Radford features Saturday races in Late Model Stock, Limited Sportsman, Modified Mini Stock and Pure Stock divisions.
Besides a full schedule of high school and collegiate athletics, other events that give Roanokers plenty to cheer about include: the Viking Lanes Ladies Pro Bowling Tour Regional Open, the Crestar Roundball Classic, the Crestar Festival Soccer Tournament, the Scott Robertson Memorial Junior Golf Tournament, the Chance Crawford Benefit Slow-Pitch Tournament, the WDBJ-7 Festival Cup Bicycle Race and the Dominion Run.
by CNB