Weather can't cloud success of Freeport International; 2024 plans already in works

The Freeport International Baseball Invitational wasn’t immune to Mother Nature’s adverse weather conditions as lightning Friday and rain Saturday dampened the momentum of a week’s worth of youth baseball at a half-dozen fields in the Alle-Kiski Valley.

Chuck Sarver, president of the Freeport International, said despite the temporary rough weather, it was another great week of fun for the more than two dozen teams who played more than 50 games.

“We lost a few games, but it wasn’t the end of the world,” Sarver said. “You can’t control the weather, but I think the week was a rousing success.

“We were again happy with the coordination with the five game sites. So many people had a hand in making the whole week special.”

The Hawks, hailing from La Guerche de Bretagne in France, celebrated a trip full of baseball with seven games during the week and 11 games overall between two stops in America.

Hawks team members and those from the Cleveland-based Warhawks organization, along with others from the local contingent of teams, capped the week Saturday evening at Freeport’s James E. Swartz Sr. Memorial Field with an all-star celebration followed by the annual fireworks display.

“It was Mike Perry’s (Warhawks) idea that we play a younger version of the all-star game for three innings and then go to the older kids for four and half to five innings before the fireworks,” Sarver said.

“It ended up working out really well. We had a really nice crowd.”

The Warhawks plan to return next year, as do the Mercyhurst Prep teams.

Mercyhurst Palomino (Legion) manager Randy Durkoskie said it was a strong week of games for his players, especially for 12 pitchers who saw game action. Mercyhurst, with its Legion and Colt teams, is a mainstay of the Freeport Invitational, having participated in the event for well over a decade.

“Some of the guys were not really pitchers, but we threw them to give us some innings,” Durkoskie said. “The major ones would pitch here and there. It was about balancing out pitchers. Overall, it was another outstanding week. The competition was great. We had a pretty competitive schedule. That’s what we expected, and that’s what we got. It’s always so well run.”

Sarver said he received an email in the past couple of days from friend Darren King in Australia about having a couple of teams from Down Under travel to next year’s Freeport International, set for July 22-27.

“Those teams are already coming to the United States,” Sarver said. “So I emailed him (Monday) morning and told him we would love to have them come to Freeport. We’re hoping to get that put together.”

There also is interest, Sarver said, in a team from Germany, another team from France and possible interest from one or more teams from Canada.

“Greg, the coach of the Hawks, his daughter played on this year’s team, and he hopes that she can come back next year and play on whatever team would have her and also attend a clinic or a camp to learn the game better,” Sarver said.

“We have a lot of things moving for next year.”

The covid pandemic of 2020 and 2021 slowed down or changed a lot of events throughout each year, but the Freeport International kept going with its mission of providing a week of baseball in a relaxed atmosphere with no titles, trophies or medals on the line.

The love of the game has been celebrated for nearly three decades, and next year will be the 30th annual event. Freeport International officials, area coaches and other volunteers have plans in mind for next year’s week of games, and a meeting is tentatively planned for Aug. 16 to map out what can be done and should be done in the 11 or so months remaining until the crack of the wooden bats again are heard throughout the Alle-Kiski Valley.

“I was at a tournament with my grandson out in Saxonburg on Sunday, and a few of the parents from the Freeport Stingers — just by them playing France and being a part of the week — they came to me and said it was a great experience and they want to be more involved,” Sarver said.

“That kind of thing is great to hear. It is very motivating.”

Sarver said anyone interested in getting involved in the planning process and volunteering with any aspect of the Freeport International is encouraged to come to the meeting or gain more information by reaching out at fibisecretary@gmail.com.

A recap of the week with photos chronicling all of the games and activities are at the Freeport International’s web page at freeportinternationals.com/. On the main page are links to the FIBI’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages.