Play Ball: Thousands flock to city's baseball mecca for Dad's Day weekend tourney

MIGHTY CASEY: A batter takes a swing during last year's Kittredge Memorial Tournament at the Roger Allen Baseball Complex on Chestnut Hill Road. (Courtesy photos)

ROCHESTER - This weekend some 350 players comprising 31 teams along with more than 1,500 family members, friends and baseball fans will pour into the Roger Allen Baseball Complex on Chestnut Hill Road to watch what has become a Father's Day baseball extravaganza.
It's the 18th Annual Kittredge Memorial Tournament, which draws teams from all over the Seacoast and Southwestern Maine.
The tournament honors Tom Kittredge, a devoted coach and volunteer in the Rochester baseball community who passed away suddenly at the age of 41 back in 1987.

LETTING ONE FLY: A pitcher tosses one to the plate during last year's tournament

Twenty years later the Kittredge Tournament had its inaugural run, and it has grown in popularity ever since.
The tourney starts on Thursday with all teams guaranteed to play at least three games in the first three days.
Then on Sunday the higher seeded teams will begin their elimination games culminating in divisional championship games later in the day at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Roger Allen Baseball comprises five divisions from ages 8 and under to 12 and under.
Roger Allen Baseball board member Bill Larson said that on Saturday 31 games will be played on seven fields and Sunday will be a full plate, too, until later in the day when the championship tilts are played.
He said the games start every day around 8 a.m., and the park's canteen will have a full menu for folks to enjoy.
"You'll smell french fries and mozzarella sticks cooking all day long," he said. "And we'll have breakfast sandwiches, too."
He said they'll also have shaved ice, burgers and dogs and chicken tenders.
"They'll be a long line at that canteen all day long," he added.
Larson said the tourney being held on Father's Day Weekend makes it extra special.
"This tournament means a lot for a lot of dads," he said. "They really enjoy the experience."

About Roger Allen Baseball
The league is named after Roger N. Allen who donated the land that became Roger Allen Park with the first facilities being 2 baseball fields built in 1978. The park officially became Roger Allen Park in 1984 with Rochester Eastside Little League Baseball becoming Roger Allen Baseball in 1985. In 2006, Rochester Westside Little League merged with the former Eastside to become the current Roger N. Allen Baseball. RABB had over 400 players participate in the 2024 Spring rec league comprised of 45 teams in 5 different divisions. These teams played on 10 permanent fields along with 2 temporary fields for the T-Ball and Rookie levels. This year, RABB is fielding 8 All-Star teams across 5 age groups. Five of those teams will have the opportunity to compete for Cal Ripken State Championships throughout June and July.