by Teams to participate in pregame ceremony at D-backs game on July 21 for Native American Recognition Day
PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks will host their 14th annual Inter-Tribal Youth Baseball & Softball Tournament July 18-21 with games played throughout the Salt River Reservation and Tempe. Teams will be recognized at the D-backs’ game this Saturday, July 21 during a pregame parade at Chase Field highlighting Native American Recognition Day, presented by Gila River Casinos.
The D-backs are the only Major League Baseball club to host an inter-tribal tournament and will feature 58 teams representing 46 Native American tribes from across the United States. More than 850 participants will travel to Phoenix from California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon and across the state of Arizona.
Nine of the teams are from the Phoenix area and for many of the participants this will be their first time leaving their tribal reservation.
Native American girls and boys ages nine through high school will play in four different divisions in games held at Salt River High School, Salt River Recreation Center and Luis Gonzalez and Matt Mantei Fields in Tempe. Two of the divisions will play games at the D-backs’ Spring Training facility, Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, which is the first professional sports venue built on tribal land. Last year 46 teams participated in the tournament with more than 39 tribal affiliations represented. This year will be the largest attended in the 14-year tournament history.
Tournament participants will be recognized on the field prior to the D-backs game at Chase Field this Saturday as part of Native American Recognition Day, presented by Gila River Casinos. Festivities will begin at 3:30 p.m. and include Native American drum groups, dancers, vocalists, royalty and more. In addition, the first 20,000 fans will receive a D-backs baseball cap, courtesy of Gila River Casinos.
For a full tournament schedule, visit www.dbacks.com/intertribal.
SCHEDULES:
Single A Division Pool Play »
Double A Division Pool Play »
Triple A Softball Pool Play »
Triple A Baseball Pool Play »
BRACKETS:
Single A Division Championship Bracket »
Double A Division Championship Bracket »
Triple A Softball Division Championship Bracket »
Triple A Baseball Division Championship Bracket »
