27 teams are in Du Quoin for softball tournament

"We are TOTALLY booked up this weekend, " said a spokeswoman for the Fairgrounds Inn located on the doorstep of the Southern Illinois Center in advance of this weekend's softball tournament to benefit Special Olympics.

"We have 59 rooms and everything is booked."

This is the fourth year for the fast-pitch tournament--good for Special Olympics to the tune of $131,000 over the past three years and good for Du Quoin.

For tournament founders Bill and Jill Asbury of Du Quoin it is a celebration of the success of more than 800 Special Olympians in Southern Illinois, including daughter Brenna, who overcomes the challenges of Down's Syndrome at every turn.

She will sing "God Bless America" during opening ceremonies at noon on Saturday (although softball play actually begins Friday night).

In four year's time it has become a winter festival. Members of the competing 27 teams have been challenged to create dance routines.

There will be both some hijinks and some reflective moments including a minute of silence for the late Du Quoin city administrator Blaine Bastien who was a big supporter of this project.

Sponsors will be honored with the introduction of competing teams, community leaders and special guests. Each competing team will have its own Special Olympian who will throw the first pitch to one player on each participating team.

A large crane from Mathis & Sons Crane Service hung the cabling from the ceiling of the cavernous Southern Illinois Center which will hold the large curtain that will divide to regulation size softball fields.

The curtain was hung Thursday night as Department of Corrections boot camp personnel worked alongside Illinois Special Olympics and fairgrounds personnel to get the Southern Illinois Center ready for the tournament.

Nearly 500 girl athletes will play until midnight or later on each of three days--tonight, Saturday and Sunday.

Athletes and their families will fill our motels and our restaurants so make them feel welcome. It's a softball marathon like no other--64 games in three days for players ages 12 & under, 14 & under and 16 and under.

More than 200 teams from across the country are on a waiting list to get into the tournament years into the future.

Chief sponsors are Knight Hawk Coal Co., Ward Chrysler and Mathis & Sons.

As part of this year's tournament festivities, Special Olympics will be holding an "R" Word pledge day on Saturday as part of the Spread the Word to End of the Word "retard (ed)" campaign created by youth to encourage schools, organizations and communities to rally and pledge their support and promote the inclusion and acceptance of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Opening ceremonies Saturday are the best ticket in Southern Illinois.