7/17/2015
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ…Babe Ruth League, Inc. International Headquarters has announced that the 2017 Cal Ripken 10-Year-Old World Series will be hosted by Hammond, Indiana and played at the Hammond Optimist Youth Sports Complex. The Hammond Optimist Sports Complex features 3 baseball and 2 softball fields. The complex is home to Hammond Optimist Youth Sports, which serves over 600 Hammond youth each season playing Cal Ripken Baseball or Babe Ruth Softball.
Hosting a Babe Ruth League World Series provides the host community and surrounding areas with direct economic activity. In addition, it serves as gateway experiences for many first time visitors, inspiring large numbers to make plans for subsequent trips and vacations to the area and region.
Hammond is located in Lake County Indiana on the southern most shore of Lake Michigan, and is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. Hammond is the first of Lake County’s industrial cities dating back to 1869 when George Hammond, for whom the city is named, began packing beef in ice-filled railroad cars for shipment to the East, ending forever the shipping of live cattle by rail.
Hammond is the home of the first professional football team in the USA, and is the birthplace of local jeweler Alvah Roebuck who sold watches on trains, and who one day met a man named Sears.
Hammond is home to Purdue University Calumet. It boasts 950 acres of city parks, a marina on its lakefront, and a 129-acre Gibson Woods Nature Preserve. Here also is the home of much 19th and 20th century architecture.
Indiana is quaint country filled with rolling hills, charming small towns, lakes, rivers, city parks and sandy dunes, but with the added dash of city vibrancy when you fancy it. Countless activities abound throughout Indiana’s Calumet Region to the city of Chicago, Illinois. Don’t miss out visiting the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and Park, where you can hike the sand dunes and explore the natural habitat unique to Hammond’s area of Lake Michigan. Spend a day in Chicago visiting one of the many historical sites or museums. There is also plenty of good family fun – from amusements to entertainment & learning centers to water parks.
In making the announcement BRL Vice President/Commissioner Robert Faherty said, “We are honored to be returning to Hammond with the 2017 Cal Ripken 10-Year-Old World Series. You know you have a great World Series site when you look around at the amount of volunteers that are everywhere and who have been involved since day one. I have always been impressed with their community and amazed by their commitment to youth. The 2017 Cal Ripken 10-Year-Old World Series will be a fun and memorable time for all.”
Babe Ruth League, Inc. is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to developing better citizens by providing properly supervised baseball and softball competition for 4 through 18-year-old players. It is the basic intent of Babe Ruth League that every player who has a desire to play the sport is given the opportunity to participate and have fun.