Faherty meets task force

Commissioner signs tournament contract with city

MOSES LAKE - Babe Ruth League Vice President and Commissioner Robert Faherty Jr. met with members of the 2009 Babe Ruth World Series Task Force Tuesday afternoon at Larson Playfield.

Faherty and Columbia Basin River Dogs manager Randy Boruff walked the Moses Lake facility and discussed plans for the 2009 16-18 Babe Ruth World Series being held in Moses Lake.

"(Boruff) has been there," Faherty said. "He always kept the bug in our ear that he would like to host another world series."

Moses Lake held the 2000 16U Babe Ruth World Series and Faherty is confident Boruff and the Columbia Basin community will not disappoint.

"We always tell people who host a world series we would be disappointed if we didn't come back," Faherty said. "Professionally, I know we are in the right place. Personally, I am very comfortable with the community."

While Babe Ruth League baseball has not played a world series in Moses Lake since the 2000 event, Faherty knew Boruff would embrace the opportunity.

"(Boruff) was my first and only phone call," Faherty said. "He said, 'Give me 24 hours.' He took 22."

With the contract signed, Moses Lake is officially committed to hosting the 2009 16-18 Babe Ruth World Series and Boruff said planning is underway.

"As a task force we are now prepared to go knock on doors," he said. "Hopefully people are planning ahead. I have goals of us breaking 30,000 in attendance."

The 2009 event has three committed Hall of Fame sponsors and Boruff is looking for as many as 10 more to help make this summer's tournament a success.

"Washington Trust Bank, the Lauzier Foundation and Holiday Inn Express have already signed on for corporate sponsorship," he said. "It's a big commitment, it's $7,500."

While Boruff is still looking for corporate sponsorships, the task force is looking to secure host families for tournament participants, said Task Force Housing organizer Eileen Martinez.

"We have gotten 60 names," she said. "We are starting to call for homes in the next couple of weeks. We would like to have everyone called and everything set up by the end of the year."

Martinez said she needs at least 81 homes to sponsor participants.

"We are still needing homes," she said. "It is a great opportunity."

To volunteer to +become a host family contact Eileen and Roger Martinez at (509) 765-1052.