AFTER a one-year break, the Datu Uchida Development Foundation, Incorporated (DUDFI) opens the biggest Davao City Baseball Cup at the Lt. Col. Villafuerte Sr. Elementary School grounds at 8 a.m. Friday, February 10.
“This is the biggest tournament we are holding so far. Biggest in number of participants and biggest in budget,” DUDFI official Ines Mallari, also the president of the Mindanao Kokusai Daigaku, said on Thursday.
She said this year's event, now on its 11th edition, serves as a memorial tournament of DUDFI founding president and Datu Bago awardee Tatsuo Uchida who passed away last May 7, 2016.
“He (Uchida) was the main proponent of this baseball cup,” Mallari said adding that with the growing interest of baseball teams from Davao City and nearby areas, they held an elimination last February 4 to trim the number of entries going to the tournament proper.
From 29 teams in the elementary division, it was reduced to 17 teams.
The High School division will have seven teams competing in the two-day meet that stakes a cash prize of P10,000 to the champion team with a trophy, medals, and baseball equipment.
The second to fourth placers will receive P5,000, P2,500 and P1,000 as well as trophies and baseball equipment while the most valuable player (MVP) will claim P1,000 and a medal in the competition sponsored by the Tokyo Kichijoji Lions Club.
Davao City Baseball Association (DCBA) President Joaquin Sarabia, for his part, said, “Magagaling na talaga ang lahat na maglalaro ngayon kasi nga napagdaanan na nila ang (All of our players are excellent since they already underwent) elimination. Grassroots talaga ito na programa kasi (This program is for the grassroots since), except for Philippine Nikkei Jin Kai International School (PNJKIS) nakasali sa dalawang categories, lahat ng teams public schools na (which is a part if the two categories, all the other teams are from public schools).”
Also seeing action are the AFPLC Elementary School, Baguio Central Elementary School, Bayabas Central Elementary School, Biao Elementary School, Buhisan Elementary School, General Roxas Central Elementary School, Lower Tamugan Elementary School, Matina Aplaya Elementary School, Mulig Elementary School, San Roque Central Elementary School, Talomo Central Elementary School, Tawantawan Elementary School, Upian Elementary School, and Upper Sirib Elementary School.
In High School division, PNJKIS will play against Baguio National School of Arts and Trades, Calinan National High School, Crossing Bayabas National High Shcool, F. Bustamante National High School, Pablo Lorenzo National High School and Sta. Maria National High School.
Just like in the past years, participating teams will be receiving baseball techniques and training from veteran coach Hidetoshi Suzuki and DUDFI sports director Yusuke Uchida.
All teams' transportation will also be subsidized, lunch will be provided for two days, a fellowship dinner will be hosted. Breakfast will also be given to surviving teams in the second day and baseball equipment.
