Mets

At our year-end Splash Bash, our 2006 All-Stars were announced. They each received a certificate and an official Little League All-Star pin. The all-stars are eligible to be appointed to our tournament teams. Congratulations and good luck to all!

WHERE: CHALLENGER PARK, 16501 NE 16TH AVE. (aka the NMB Amphitheater, east of Mishcon Field) WHEN: SUNDAY, MAY 21, 12:00 - 6:00 P.M. SCHEDULE 12:30-2:00 TROPHY AND ALL-STAR PRESENTATION 2:00-6:00 P.M. CARNIVAL (with Water Slides, Niagara Water Rock Climb, Foam Pits, Slip-n-Dip, and Dunk Tank (sink your coach!) All players in jerseys will receive a FREE wristband for unlimited rides, games, and prizes (except the dunk tank, which will be 3 throws for $1.00). Non-players may purchase wristbands for $7.00 in advance or $10 at the door. Food and other concessions will also be available for purchase.

For those winners who were unable to attend Saturday's competition, there will be another sectional competition in Broward: Broward County Pete Schlang- pspanther4@aol.com Cooper City Optimist 10500 Stirling Road Cooper City Fl. (June -3) Cooper City Sports Complex (305) 970-4818 For results of the May 13 competition, contact Eduardo Capiro- ecapiro@ci.hialeah.fl.us; 305.687.2650 Let's wish all our winners luck in moving on to the next round.

Enter here to win up to $20,000 to refurbish your youth baseball or softball field and receive a baseball clinic from Hall of Famers Lou Brock and Carlton Fisk! Tell Briggs & Stratton why your field should be a Briggs & Stratton 'Diamond in the Rough' and you could be the MVP of your team this year!

The Diamonds in the Rough contest is open to any youth baseball/softball players (ages 7-12) in our area! In order to nominate one of our fields for refurbishment, download or print off an official entry form, or visit a participating Briggs & Stratton dealer. Using the entry form, players will submit an essay (300-word maximum), explaining the following:

1. Why should your ballpark be chosen as a Briggs & Stratton Diamond in the Rough?
2. What specific improvements does your ballpark need?
3. How has baseball/softball given you The Power Within to be successful on and off the diamond?

Thirty-two regional winners will be selected from all eligible entries based on the following criteria: 1) creativity (33 percent), 2) the ballpark’s refurbishing needs (33 percent) and 3) demonstration of The Power Within. (33 percent). The judging will take place on or about May 4, 2006 by an independent judging organization and Hall of Famers Lou Brock and Carlton Fisk, whose decisions are final. Winners will be notified on or about May 4, 2006. One grand prize winner will be determined by an online vote and will be notified on or about May 21, 2006.

Entries must be postmarked no later than April 30, 2006. Please visit www.briggsdiamondsintherough.com to complete your entry form and send a recent photograph of the field, or send the official entry form, the 300-word essay, and a recent photograph of the field to: Diamonds in the Rough, 733 N. Van Buren Street, 4th Floor, Milwaukee, WI 53202. Entries are also available at participating Briggs & Stratton dealers.

Official Prizes: The judges will select 32 winners, who will each earn $5,000 toward field refurbishing. The 32 winners will also receive a Briggs & Stratton Diamonds in the Rough prize package, including baseball memorabilia. Prize package is valued at $150.

In addition, 16 regional winners, one of whome will be from the Miami area, will be eligible for the grand prize, which will be determined by an online vote. To vote online, we will capture your email address the first time you vote. Any additional votes from the same email address will not be counted. The grand prize winner will be awarded $20,000 to refurbish their baseball/softball field, as well as a clinic from Major League Baseball Hall of Famers Lou Brock and Carlton Fisk. Briggs & Stratton will donate two high-end tractors to two winning ball fields. The grand prize winner will receive one tractor and a random drawing of the 31 remaining regional winners awarded the second tractor. Briggs & Stratton will contact winners and his/her league representative to determine use of the prize money.

Hard to believe we're getting close to the end of the school year already, and that means playoffs are almost here!! The schedules have been posted, so take a look and see when your first game will be. The Minors Jr. and Minors divisions are seeded randomly, but the Majors will have to wait until the end of the season to see what place each team finishes.