Gene Bennett Classic - June 14-17

[4thgoal]

Formed in 2010 by a famed travel ball coach in Ron Slusher, a local businessman in Jeff Brown, and former SSU Head Coach and tournament director Ted Tom, the Gene Bennett Baseball Classic honors the legendary legacy of esteemed Major League Baseball scout Gene Bennett and his overall contributions to baseball with a classic held annually during the second week of June that routinely attracts the best amateur teams and players across the United States and North America.

Since the formation of the GBBC back in 2010, the event has seen rapid growth since its inaugural year as the tournament reached an all-time high in participants in 2015 with 21 teams under the direction of current SSU Head Coach and GBBC Tournament Director Chris Moore - which was more than two times the size of the original field in 2010 (eight teams) and beat the previous high of 16 teams in 2014.

Throughout Bennett's career, the Wheelersburg, Ohio native (who spent his entire career in the Reds' organization from 1952-2010) carved out his niche as a scout within the organization by drafting some of the finest talent to ever play in the big leagues, such as Barry Larkin, Don Gullett, Paul O'Neill and Chris Sabo among many others. In doing so, Bennett was an integral part in guiding the Reds to four World Series appearances in the 1970s, including two World Series crowns during the golden age of the "Big Red Machine." In all, Bennett was a member for six of the franchise's nine World Series appearances and three of Cincinnati's five World Series titles, including the Reds' last one to date in 1990.

Individually, Bennett's efforts as a scout have earned him several accolades, including inductions into the Middle Atlantic Major League Baseball Scouts and the Wheelersburg High School Athletics Hall of Fames in 1996 and 2001, respectively. Lastly, Bennett was given the Legends of Scouting Award for his six loyal decades of work with the Reds in January of 2009.

The classic continues to honor the memory of Bennett by attracting some of the finest talent in the country, both inside and outside of the state lines. In addition to Ohio, the states of Kentucky, Michigan, Texas, and West Virginia, as well as the Canadian province of Ontario, have been represented in years past, with legendary travel ball teams such as the Ohio Warhawks, the Midland Redskins, the Huntington Hounds and the Kalamazoo Maroons calling the tournament home.

[4thgoal]

There are 26 teams participating this year. Games will be played at Branch Rickey, Portsmouth HS, Greenup, Valley, and Wheelersburg. This should be a huge event this year.

[alabama mike]

This is a free event that baseball fans around southern Ohio should take advantage of by coming down and watching games.

[sportsnation]

is there any local teams scheduled

[4thgoal]

Thursday June 14th:

Branch Rickey Park:
12PM Pittsburgh Spikes v Louisville Sun Devils
6:30P Gene Bennett Classic Opening Ceremony (all teams)

Portsmouth High School:
9AM Portsmouth Post 23 v Diamond Prospects
12PM Diamond Prospects v Ohio Force 16
3PM Louisville Sun Devils v Huntington Patriots

Russell High School
9AM Russell v Huntington Hounds 16
12PM Huntington Patriots Red v Ohio Force 17
3PM Ohio Force 16 v Russell

Boyd County High School
9AM Boyd County v Huntington Patriots Red
12PM Motor City Hit Dogs v Boyd County
3PM Ashland Post 76 v Motor City Hit Dogs

Wheelersburg High School
9AM Ohio Force 17 v Ashland Post 76
12PM Huntington Hounds 16 v Portsmouth Post 23
3PM Huntington Hounds 18 v Pittsburgh Spikes

Valley High School
9AM Huntington Patriots v Great Lakes Canadians
12PM Great Lakes Canadians v Huntington Hounds 18

Friday June 15th:

Branch Rickey Park:
9AM Great Lakes Canadians v Louisville Sun Devils
12PM Huntington Hounds 18 v Huntington Patriots
3PM Motor City Hit Dogs v Ohio Force 17

Portsmouth High School:
9AM Huntington Patriots v Pittsburgh Spikes
12PM Huntington Patriots Red v Motor City Hit Dogs
3PM Pittsburgh Spikes v Great Lakes Canadians
6PM Louisville Sun Devils v Huntington Hounds 18


Russell High School
9AM Diamond Prospects v Russell
12PM Russell v Portsmouth Post 23
3PM Portsmouth Post 23 v Ohio Force 16
6PM Ohio Force 16 v Huntington Hounds 16

Boyd County High School
9AM Boyd County v Ashland Post 76
12PM Ohio Force 17 v Boyd County
3PM Huntington Hounds 16 v Diamond Prospects
6PM Ashland Post 76 v Huntington Patriots Red

Single elimination tournament begins 9AM Saturday June 16th.

[sportsnation]

anyway to find the rosters for each team

[blockcharge7]

Post 23 won two today in the Gene Bennett Classic, first game 8 to 1 against Diamond Prospects 15 and 10 to 1 against Huntington Hounds 16, I believe.