The Sandy Koufax World Series, a tournament that features some of the best 13-and-14-year-old baseball players from all over the country and Puerto Rico, will begin play Thursday, Aug. 1 at the newly refurbished Kane Stadium in Secaucus.
Nine teams from all parts of the country, like Ohio, Texas, California and Iowa, as well as a team from Puerto Rico, will convene in Secaucus for the five-day, double elimination tournament.
Two teams from New Jersey will participate in the tournament, including the Jersey City Cobra, which recently won the state Sandy Koufax championship. There will also be a host team, featuring some of the best players in northern New Jersey. Four Secaucus youngsters will play with that team in the World Series.
According to Mayor Dennis Elwell, Secaucus is putting on a fine show for its new visitors.
“We’re bringing in people from all over the world to Secaucus,” Elwell said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase our facilities and our town. We’re very proud of our facilities and proud of our community. It’s a positive event for our many businesses, like hotels and restaurants. Plus, we’ll be able to show our children what hard work and dedication can mean. If you put the time and effort into it, you can excel.”
Township administrator Anthony Iacono, who worked diligently putting the tournament together with American Amateur Baseball Congress (AABC) officials in just a month’s time, after Jersey City couldn’t serve as host any longer, said that the township’s hotel community has come through in a huge way, donating rooms to house the players in the tournament.
“None of the teams will have to lay out any money for housing,” Iacono said. “We’ve had approximately $30,000 worth of rooms donated by our hotels in town. That is a sign that the Secaucus business community is really opening up its doors and welcoming people from all over.”
Most of the town’s hotels participated in the room donation, namely the Radisson, Holiday Inn, Courtyard by Marriott, Crowne Plaza and Fairfield Inn.
The Outback Steakhouse, which will have its grand opening in Harmon Meadow Plaza this week, will also provide meals for the teams.
Iacono said that the AABC officials have allowed Secaucus to collect part of the gate, which will go to the purchase of a memorial that will honor six local residents who perished in the World Trade Center terrorist attacks Sept. 11.
“We’re also getting participation from our Babe Ruth league, which will collect the proceeds from the concession stand,” Iacono said. “We’re anticipating pretty big crowds, so a lot of people in the town are chipping in and giving their time.”
Sandra Kickey, a Secaucus resident who was Mrs. New Jersey in the Mrs. America beauty contest, has done a lot of work as the host committee chairperson.
The Hudson County Schools of Technology have donated the transportation for the teams to and from their hotels.
While most of the games will be played at Kane Stadium, a few of the early round games will be played in North Bergen, at Stan Newman Field on 64th Street. However, the semifinals Sunday and championship game on Monday, August 5 will be played a t Kane Stadium.
“This is a great chance for people of Secaucus to meet and greet visitors from all over,” Elwell said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity for us.”
Although Secaucus officials have had only a month to prepare to host the tournament, they have done such a spectacular job that AABC officials are considering Secaucus to be the host of the 2003 Sandy Koufax World Series as well.
“We’d be willing to host again,” Elwell said. “This is the first time, so there are a few things we have to work out, but I don’t suspect there will be any problems. We have a great community and we welcome the chance to show it off to the world.”