THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, January 28, 1995 TAG: 9501280197
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 46 lines
The chief executive officer of the Babe Ruth League said Friday that the site of next year's Babe Ruth Baseball World Series for 16- to 18-year-old boys will be announced Wednesday.
Dare County and Concord, N.H., are the finalists for the series, which will be Aug. 17-24, 1996.
``We're right on target,'' Babe Ruth executive officer Ron Tellefsen said in an interview from the league's Trenton, N.J., headquarters.
League officials met earlier this week in Nashville, Tenn., to review the tournament bids. Babe Ruth Commissioner Robert Faherty also met earlier this week with a representative of Concord. Tellefsen would not say what was discussed at that meeting.
Tellefsen said local Babe Ruth officials would be contacted to set up an announcement if Dare County is awarded the series.
Meanwhile, local league representatives met Friday to discuss next week's announcement. They are cautiously optimistic.
``It ain't over 'til it's over,'' said Dare County Babe Ruth League Commissioner Ray Hollowell, borrowing a phrase from former New York Yankee great Yogi Berra. ``In our mind, this is Concord's tournament to lose.''
Hollowell praised local efforts to land the event, which will showcase 10 teams from the U.S. and Canada. At a Jan. 13 reception for Babe Ruth officials, nearly 1,000 people turned out to support the tournament, including Hertford native and Baseball Hall of Famer Jim ``Catfish'' Hunter.
``Retrospectively, we've done everything we could have done and should have done to get the World Series,'' said Hollowell. ``Secondly, the people of Dare County have done everything they could have done and should have done to put us over the top.
``We're very excited,'' Hollowell said. ``We want to show our appreciation to all the people who showed their support through a collective community effort. This event will be important for everyone in Northeastern North Carolina.
But most of all, we're excited about the opportunity this will provide the youth of our county.'' by CNB