Bill Buckner Memorial 4th of July Tournament preview: Napa teams look for success during Independence Day tournament at Cleve Borman Field
By Kyle Foster
Follow on Twitter/X: @NapaKyle @NapaSportsNews
In previous years, the Bill Buckner Memorial 4th of July Tournament has been really good to local teams.
On July 4th through 7th at historic Cleve Borman Field in Yountville, four local teams will battle with a set of out-of-town regulars to try to take home the tournament title.
The tournament will also be a great way for baseball fans to see some of the best players from around the valley compete after doing well during their high school seasons.
One of the main draws for the tournament this year is the fact that there will be four teams from Napa County in the event.
“It’s huge to have four valley teams playing in the Tournament. It will help at the gate in regards to the crowd as they will be playing every day so that’s important,” tournament director Steve Meyer explained. “Also, from a player’s standpoint, it’s fun for them to be able to play on the same teams as some of their rivals during the High School season. It helps them to build character and is sometimes a welcome break by playing for a different Coach. All of the Valley High Schools (except Calistoga) will be represented. American Canyon is an up-and-coming program that had a very good season and Community Projects Crushers of Napa are starting to jell and are playing some good baseball. Both Napa Valley Baseball Club teams will be very competitive and should do well in their respective pools.”
All of the other teams that aren’t from Napa County are tournament regulars and always make the tournament interesting.
Pool 1 has Community Projects of Napa Crushers, the Napa Valley Baseball Club 17U team, the South San Francisco Trojans, and the San Francisco Cardinals.
In Pool 2, it’s the NVBC 19U, American Canyon, San Bruno V.F.W., and the San Francisco Senators. All games will be played in Yountville with four games each of the first three days. The NVBC 19U team won the Around the Horn Tournament, which was their most recent tournament.
“The challenge for us to remain focused at the task at hand to compete on every pitch,” Napa Valley Baseball Club 19U head coach Bob Freschi said. “We need to battle through fatigue and have great energy and enthusiasm for all games.”
With the win at the Around the Horn Tournament, they have won that event 3 out of the 4 years. It also gives them a tad bit more momentum coming into the Independence Day tournament.
“We are so fortunate and blessed to be Around the Horn Champions,” Freschi explained. “To win it for the 3 time out of 4 years is a testament to how strong our baseball community is but more importantly to keep the legacy of Daryl and Joe forever in our baseball community.”
In previous years, both Napa Valley Baseball Club teams have done well in the tournament. Just a few years back, they met in the event’s semifinal. In that same year, the NVBC 19s won the whole event and have been one of the most successful organizations in the tournament.
“It means a great opportunity to show our community and the incoming teams that the NVBC is a strong club with talented players throughout our organization,” Freschi said of the chance to play in the tournament with their 17U team as well. “We are continuing the dedication and passion that the NVBC has been before us. So many talented players have played in our club throughout the years!”
Another reason why the tournament is so great is the fact that the 4th of July holiday takes place during one of the four days of it.
“We have all grown up celebrating the 4th of July as one of the most exciting National Holidays,” Meyer explained. “As a part of that, baseball has always been included in the celebration (in) some way or another. For me, there were always games as I was growing up and playing locally, and finally in 1975 the first July 4th Tournament was held as a four-team exhibition at the Veteran’s Home and was initiated by then Coach Keith Connelly of the Napa Joe DiMaggio League. It soon grew to eight teams and for several years 16 teams. The Tournament has run every year (except 2020-Covid) since and was officially named in 2002 The Keith Connelly Invitational after his passing. At the request of his family, it was renamed the Napa Valley 4th of July Invitational and was changed four years ago to the Bill Buckner Memorial Tournament with the help of his former High School and summer league teammate Dennis Rippey. For me it’s provided countless hours of entertainment, meeting new friends from all over California and Nevada and even created traditions within my family.
“On the actual 4th of July, we would partake in the Veteran’s Home celebrations and even watched the fireworks from Borman Field<” Meyer continued. “We would reserve a certain table at The Red Hen Cantina, have dinner after the last game of the day on July 3rd and then watch the fireworks from Silverado Country Club which we could clearly see from that table. Through the years much has changed. No more celebrations at the Veteran’s Home, the Red Hen Cantina has closed and many of those who have supported the Tournament are no longer with us. I don’t know what the future will bring but I can’t imagine the 4th of July without baseball.”
Baseball on the 4th of July is something that is even more special for Napa Valley Baseball Club, which plays all of its home games at Borman Field. This just adds another great tradition to an already great holiday.
“Baseball is our national pastime,” Freschi pointed out. “We are so grateful to be playing the all-American sport of the day we celebrate our independence and freedom. It is an honor to be playing this tournament at the Veterans Home and on iconic Borman Field. It is also an honor to play for the Veterans at their home who fought so hard for our freedom.”
Baseball on America’s Independence Day is one of the best traditions there is. The fact that games are being played at the Veterans Home makes the environment that much better.
Every run will hold importance in the tournament. If teams finish with a tied record in pool play, there will be many different tiebreakers used to break a tie if need be.
Games will go on all day long. The first game each of the three days will start at 9 am with the final game at 4:45 pm. On the final day, the first semi-final game is at 9:30 am, the second at 12:15, and the championship game at 3 pm.
The fee for admission is $5. There is also a 15 mph speed limit on the Veterans Home property. Programs will be available and the concession stand will be open.
This will be the 48th year of the tournament. The only year it didn’t take place was in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.
