OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Wrestlers from all across New England and beyond have signed up for this year’s Rumble at The Ballpark, but there are still spots available for the youth, high school and open divisions.
After a year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fourth annual Rumble at The Ballpark returns to the historic Ballpark in Old Orchard Beach on Saturday, July 17.
“It has been a long year for everyone and we were truly disappointed to have to cancel last year’s tournament, but we are thrilled to be back,” said tournament organizer Pat McDonald, who was previously the sports editor at the former Journal Tribune newspaper in Biddeford.
This year’s event will feature youth, high school and open divisions. The youth division is for grades 3 through 8, while 8th through 12th graders (including those who recently graduated) are eligible for the high school division. Eighth graders can choose which division to compete in.
The youth tournament will run from 8 a.m. to noon with the high school and open divisions set for 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the historic stadium in Old Orchard Beach.
The winners of each bracket will once again receive baseball bats as trophies. Second and third place finishers will get medals.
In past years, the tournament has drawn high school wrestlers from across Maine as well as New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Connecticut.
“The reason we run this tournament is to give Maine wrestlers as well as competitors from across New England and beyond a unique experience, but it’s also about bringing great wrestlers together to get some tough competition,” said McDonald, who is on the board of directors of the Maine Amateur Wrestling Alliance.
The cost of this year’s event will be $40 per wrestler. Wrestlers can register at https://bit.ly/3sulUO8.
For more information, contact Pat McDonald at rumbleatballpark@gmail.com or check out the Rumble at The Ballpark on Facebook.
