LowcoSports.com
When the Bluffton Waves non-profit travel baseball organization was granted permission to use Oscar Frazier Park for a one-day event to benefit a Bluffton family facing unexpected medical expenses after a terrible scare last month, the thought of a competitive tournament like the ones young ballplayers travel to play in each weekend didn’t feel right.
The reality is most people leave those tournaments unhappy. So the Waves decided to shake it up, Savannah Bananas style, and ensure everyone left with a smile.
The 10U, 11U, and 13U teams from the Waves and the Beaufort-based Coastal Crusaders organizations went toe-to-toe along with the 10U Richmond Hill Tides, 11U Savannah Vandals, and 13U 5-Star Hurricanes in a fun and friendly round robin using rules inspired by “Banana Ball,” the wacky twist on America’s Pastime that the Savannah Bananas have taken worldwide.
Bluffton Youth Sports provided concessions and donated all proceeds to the cause, which benefited Tommy and Amanda Heberer, whose 10-year-old son Cal was diagnosed with a brain tumor and needed emergency surgery to remove it. The growth proved to be benign and Cal is making a quick recovery and expects to be back on the baseball field soon.
Cal and Tommy Heberer were guests on the LowcoSports Lowdown on Monday, Oct. 16. The episode can be streamed on-demand on the Lowco Media YouTube channel.
