By Dave Ornauer
Published: July 30, 2008
Once again, coming to a Labour Day weekend near you, we'll have two competing Pacificwide open interservice softball tournaments, oneat Okinawa's Torii Stationand the other at Yokota Air Base, Japan.
The older of the two, the Typhoon Classicat Torii, stands as the third leg of the Pacific interservice Grand Slam circuit and asgranddaddy of all Pacificwide tournaments, in its 22nd year.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: July 30, 2008
I visited this topic last summer when it was clear the Okinawa Football League would not have a 2007 season. Now, we know for sure the OFL is dead. Its only remnant is the Kadena Dragons, who won the league in its only two years of existence, but now are left to fend for themselves, playing Ryukyu University mostly, and taking one trip per season to the mainland for games against U.S. Forces Japan-American Football League foes.
Silence. Such a sad sound, especially on a gridiron, where the cracking of pads and helmets and the beat of marching bands and roar of crowd should reign supreme, but are now just fading memories where Courtney Bowl and other venues on Okinawa are concerned.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: July 6, 2008
What a heartwarming momentJuly 5at Foster Athletics Complex's Field 2 on Okinawa's Camp Foster.
John Zivic, the longtime basketball referee felled by a heart attack during January's Martin Luther King Tournament at Foster Field House, paid a visit to last weekend's 10th Firecracker Shootout Softball Tournament, looking very much like his old self (minus about 30 pounds).
By Dave Ornauer
Published: July 6, 2008
A tip of the hat to Osan Air Base's men's basketball and softball teams. They traveled to the tropical environs of Guam and Okinawa and came away victorious in their respective endeavours and tournaments.
Anthony Showers earned MVP honors as the Defenders routed the Guam Senior National Team 90-75 Saturday in the finals of the 2008 Summer Slam Interservice Basketball Tournament at Andersen Air Force Base. Another signature event put on by Pacific Air Forces basketball legend Gerrard Barnes.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: July 5, 2008
Musings and mutterings from sizzling-hot Okinawa as the fireworks and the mercury in the thermometer rise almost as quickly as the price at the pump:
-- Boy, is it nice to see the Firecracker Shootout Interservice Softball Tournament return to life on Okinawa over the July 4th holiday weekend. Fourteen men's teams and seven women's duked it out for Pacificwide honors, with seven teams -- a third of the total field -- coming from South Korea alone. Not only a shot at bragging rights, but also a last-chance proving ground for players seeking invitations to their respective All-Service tryout camps.
