The McQuade Charitable Softball Tournament can bring over 400 teams and entertain over 15,000 people in it's three day run.  It's an exiting tournament to watch with teams traveling from all across the country to compete in this annual event. To accommodate this years special circumstances, team registration has been expanded until May 22nd.  The 2020 tournament is scheduled for June 26-28 across many diamonds in Bismarck/Mandan.

President of McQuade Distributing, Shannon McQuade Ely told the Bismarck Tribune that the 45th annual mid-summer classic would only take place with a full field. She goes on to describe a great many logistical obstacles that need to be overcome.The McQuade Tournament board has a meeting Tuesday May 12th which four days before USA Softball has their meeting Saturday May 16. Which leads me to this...

WHEN THE HECK IS YOUR TEAM GONNA PLAY!!!!

There may be a rosier picture for rec league softball as 15,000 people are not expected to attend your teams games on Wednesday nights.  In a world wrapped in "an abundance of caution",  Dick Gulmon, commissioner of USA Softball of North Dakota had a statement on the organizations website that included the words "cautious optimism". I'm not going to hold him to anything he can't control, but I applaud the use of the word "optimism".  Ya don't hear that word much anymore.  Again their meeting will be Saturday May 16th. 

Bismarck Youth Baseball continues to monitor the situation taking their leads from State Government and their own governing organizations. 

So sadly there are no answers at this time.  From the outside looking in...it seems like an almost impossible feat to put on the McQuade Tournament.  Absolutely, no doubt the McQuade Organization would do another kick-ass job executing this three day monster- it's just there are so many other states and their citizens to put in the mix.   We'll be watching to see how that plays out.

But I think your team of friends with less bat sharing, six foot isolating in the stands, no cooler sharing ,and no sunflower spitting...y'all could/ might/ maybe/ possibly get in a few innings this summer.  Our I'm just applying my own abundance of optimism.

 

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