The 37th annual Busch Softball Classic begins today and runs through Sunday.
Games will be held at the Sherwood Sports Complex in Sherwood and at Burns Park in North Little Rock.
At a glance
WHEN Today-Sunday
WHERE Sherwood Sports Complex, Burns Park (North Little Rock)
NOTEWORTHY EVENTS Hall of Fame ceremony, 5 p.m., Sherwood; Home run derby, 5:30 p.m., Sherwood; Wounded Warriors Amputee softball exhibition game, 6:15 p.m., Sherwood
DIVISIONS Men’s: Major, C, D, E; Women’s: Women’s division
There are five divisions in the tournament -- Men's Major, C, D and E and the Women's division.
The Wounded Warrior Amputee team, made up of 30 combat veterans who lost limbs serving their country, will play an exhibition game at 6:15 p.m. today, then play all weekend in the E division in the tournament. The team has played games in 41 states and three countries.
Tournament director Clint Albright said part of the success of the tournament is because of the people in central Arkansas, in terms of the cities, the complexes and the sponsors.
The annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be at 5 p.m. Rick Allred, Jim Barnard, John Cameron, Johnny Rice, Bob W̶h̶a̶r̶t̶o̶n̶ Whorton*, Wendell Rickard, Jim Maycunich and James Marrow are this year's honorees.
A home run derby is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
Albright said Friday's festivities, including the Wounded Warriors game, are part of what keeps the tournament interesting and "keeps the tournament from getting stale."
Albright said 130 teams from 15 states will participate in the tournament, but players from at least 31 states will be playing on those teams.
The Busch Classic is one of 20 USSSA World Series qualifiers and provides a berth in the Women's World Series in Orlando, Fla.
"Teams love the fact that they can go in and play some new teams that they don't see everyday," Albright said. "That doesn't happen often."
Sports on 07/01/2016
*CORRECTION: Bob Whorton was among this year’s group inducted into the Arkansas Softball Hall of Fame in Sherwood. His last name was misspelled in this story.