THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, July 10, 1994                  TAG: 9407080241
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST           PAGE: 62   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 
DATELINE: MANTEO                             LENGTH: Short :   44 lines

BABE RUTH TOURNEY TO BE IN DARE COUNTY GIRLS TEAMS WILL COME FROM ALL PARTS OF NORTH CAROLINA TO COMPETE IN THE 5-DAY EVENT.

About 54 girls softball teams will be in Dare County for the 1994 State Babe Ruth Softball Tournament on July 27-31, representing all sections of North Carolina from the mountains to the coast.

State Babe Ruth Softball officials and local sponsors estimate that 3,000 to 4,000 people will come to Dare County for the 100 games to be played. This includes players, coaches, parents, and supporters.

The games will be played on four fields in Manteo. The two fields at the Manteo Lions Club Wescott Park, the Manteo Middle School field and the softball field at Manteo High School will be used.

The state tournament includes age classifications of 9-10, 11-12, 13-15, 16-18. The newly formed Dare County Babe Ruth Softball league is the sponsor.

The league is recruiting volunteers to help with the tournament. ``We need people to help with team check-in, team mothers, ticket and program sales, concession stands, announcers, and a host of other tasks,'' said league president Debbie Luke.

The Babe Ruth program, originally a baseball program for boys, began in 1951. More than 776,000 boys are served nationwide by the program.

Babe Ruth Softball for girls premiered in 1984 and has grown steadily. In Dare County, more than 200 girls participated in amateur slow pitch softball this year. ``The community is really supporting our efforts,'' Luke said. ``The Outer Banks Community Foundation gave us $1,500 for the program's start-up cost. Also the Dare County Tourist Bureau awarded us $2,500 from their Tourism Assistance Grant program to help us publicize the tournament. The Manteo Lions Club is allowing us to sell signs advertising businesses, place them on Wescott Field, and make a commission.''

To volunteer, offer help, make contributions, or advertise in the printed program, call tournament director Gwen White at 441-4966. by CNB