Baseball Tourney Brings Big Money to Tupelo

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TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) — Visitors from other parts of the state have descended on Tupelo this weekend for a state baseball tournament that is an economic windfall for the city.

The sun was beating down this weekend at the Baseball Sportsplex at Ballard Park. But many fans took advantage of ample shade provided by many coverings over the stands. They came from the Memphis area. They came from the Jackson area, and all over Mississippi.

In all 52 teams arrived on Thursday and will be here through Sunday for the 12 U USSSA state tournament.

Michael Gibson is with Tupelo Parks and Recreation.

“This is a big event for us so we try to do everything we can to accommodate the people that are coming in Tupelo,” he says. “Some people have not been here from the southern part of the state and really trying to open up our facility and make it family oriented and be there for them and allow them to have a good stay while they’re here in Tupelo,” Gibson notes.

There were of course concession stands and even information for out of town guests about the places of interest to see around the area. Gibson says this an economic boon for the city.

“As far as the restaurants are concerned I know that they see benefits from it as well as the hotels and it just kind of carries on from there so economically wise it’s always a big thing for Tupelo,” Gibson explains. “And we try to host roughly about ten tournaments a year and this is one that we try put a little extra emphasis one with it being the state tournament.”

And Gibson says this weekend is bittersweet as it was just last weekend that tragedy struck during another tournament.

“We lost a player this past weekend, Lane Rodgers. I was an event we hosted last weekend, a real tragic event a lot of us are still dealing with keeping our prayers with the Rodgers family and really just trying to dedicate this tournament towards them in anyway that we can to show respect towards the family,” Gibson laments.

They erected a permanent memorial just a few feet from the spot where Rodgers was struck by a branch that was knocked off a tree by the storm.