Mayor Rowle Simmons reads the Proclamation of Little League Days from July 18-27.

Further Information: City Council Agenda 7-17-07

For the first time in forty or more years, the Arizona Little League Majors State Tournament is being held in Prescott. And, to celebrate the occasion, Mayor Rowle Simmons has pronounced July 18-27 to be Little League Days in Prescott.

Prescott is represented by both a 9-10 age Little League team, as well as an 11-12 year old team, which is the first time that teams from both Prescott divisions have qualified for State. But, just because the State Tournament is being hosted in Prescott, it doesn't mean that the Prescott team had a free entrance. They earned their spot in the tournament, just like the other thirteen teams.

"They were not awarded this, they had to win this in the district tournament which they recently did by defeating Prescott Valley, 2-1, after they had defeated a long time nemesis in Prescott Little League, Verde Valley. So they're going to represent us in the tournament beginning tomorrow on local fields against a whole bunch of communities around the state of Arizona," said Jim McCasland, Parks and Recreation Programming Director for the City of Prescott.

As a Round Robin tournament, each team is guaranteed to play at least 6 games. They will play each day until July 26, which is when the semi-finals will be held. The Finals will be held on Friday, July 27. The winning team will advance to the Regional Tournament in San Bernadino, California to compete from August 3-11. After that, the winner will head to the World Series in Williamsport, Pa.. Only five Arizona teams have ever qualified for the Little League World Series. 

Mayor Simmons tried to prepare the boys for the reading of the Proclamation, "Now, these things have a lot of 'whereas's' so you'll probably be getting tired of that," he said, just before he started out, "Whereas Little League Baseball provides a safe, fun, wholesome opportunity for recreation and competition..."

After the reading of the Proclamation, City Council Member, Steve Blair, announced that the first home run would receive a signed All-Star baseball from his nephew, Matt Holliday, left fielder for the Colorado Rockies. The player who is voted the Best Sportsman of the tournament will also receive a signed hat and ball from Holliday.