Dozens of mosquito baseball players are getting ready to play ball over the long weekend as the 13th annual David Forrest Memorial Tournament hits Holland Creek and High Street fields.
From May 18-20, eight teams from Ladysmith, Salt Spring, Duncan and Chemainus will compete for the top spot in the competition while fostering sportsmanship and fun. The tournament was first started by Ray Irving to fill a need for mosquito-aged players (nine and 10) to have their own tournament.
The tournament was dedicated to Ladysmith’s David Forrest, who passed away of meningococcal meningitis at the age of 15 after returning home from a provincial basketball tournament. Every year since the beginning of the tournament, David’s father Denny has helped out and been a part of selecting the award for the most sportsmanlike team, which is a subject close to his heart.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” he said. “At that age, they don’t get to go to many tournaments.”
Denny described his son as a bright straight-A student who loved the game of baseball and showed sportsmanship like no other.
“He liked to play baseball, soccer and music,” he said.
For more information about the tournament, click here.