2009.04.20
Results from Chance Crawford tourney
The home run derby around 8 p.m. Friday, April 18
The Chance Crawford tournament was held this past weekend, April 18-20, and despite the economic gloom and doom, 135 teams from Virginia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia played softball on fields around the Roanoke Valley for a good cause.A home run derby has attracted a big crowd at opening ceremonies for a few years now, but this past weekend was the first year that three extra skills competitions were introduced: basehitting, throwing, and baserunning. For a $10 entry fee, the winners took home Worth softball gear.
"This tournament is all about helping people," Moyer complex director Brad Epperly said. "We didn't know what to expect, but the response has been overwhelming."
Eighty-six people tried out their skills at the home run derby, and there were 30-40 competitors in each of the other three contests - a huge boost to the funds that the tournament raises every year for critical needs children.
The tournament started as a fundraiser in 1981 to help fund Chance Crawford's recovery. He was critically injured in a Salem High School football game, and the local community stepped up to help fund his rehabilitation. After Crawford graduated from Radford University, he was elected Clerk of the Circuit Court for Salem - but the tournament has continued to help other critical needs children with grants and scholarships since then.
Continue reading to see the teams that won each category.
Home Run Derby - 86 Participants
1st Place Timmy Mickey, East Coast Wings Men's D
2nd Place JR Estes, Virginia Select Men's C
3rd Place Dustin Jones, Virginia Select Men's CBase Hitting Contest - 40 Participants
1st Place Steve Beller, Chik-Fil-A Men's Comp
2nd Place Charlie Miller, DunTrukn Men's E
3rd Place Terry Tunstall, WSC/Powerhouse Men's E
Throwing Accuracy Contest - 30 Participants
1st Place Cody Scott Pogo's Crew Men's E
2nd Place Bo Woodard Envoy Health of Winchester Men's E
3rd Place Luke Lawson O'Neal Law Firm Men's Comp
Speed Base Running Contest - 30 Participants
1st Place Jeremiah Wood National Guard Men's C
2nd Place Blake Perry Envoy Health of Winchester Men's E
3rd Place Josh Fleshman Sigmo Express Men's Rec.
Men's Competitive
1st Place Son's of Legion- Suterhlin, VA
MVP Justin Saunders and Richie Sexton
2nd Place O'Neal Law Firm- Winston-Salem, NC
3rd Place 4 U Floors- Norfolk, VA
Men's C
1st Place Plumbright/ TAC- Chester, VA
MVP Team MVP
2nd Place Shen Valley Merchants- Harrisonburg, VA
3rd Place Piedmont Fire/ Premier Properties- Danville, VA
Men's D
1st Place Sexton Con. C., Inc- Winston-Salem, NC
MVP Team MVP
2nd Place Cornerstone- Mechanicville, VA
3rd Place Hard Knocks- Louisburg, NC
Men's E
1st Place Saveages Softball- Waynesboro, NC
MVP Sam Lunsford
2nd Place Softball- X-Pass- Dayton, VA
3rd Place Don Griffin Well Drilling- Vinton, VA
Men's Recreation/Novice
1st Place The Unit- Rocky Mount, NC
MVP Jewell Chitwood
2nd Place Hallaheat- Lexington, VA
3rd Place Pepper's/Lews Softball- Salem, VA
Women's Division
1st Place Honeypipes- Kannapolis, NC
MVP Stephanie Shelton
2nd Place Piedmont Players- Winston-Salem, NC
3rd Place TLC Insurance- Bridgewater, VA
