The 2025 edition of Party in the Ballpark brought together teams from all over British Columbia to compete in a softball tournament in 100 Mile House to raise money for a good cause.
Party in the Ballpark is a four-game round robin double-knockout, which the organizer of the tournament, William Robertson, explained in detail.
"So basically, each team plays four games, they have to accumulate a plus/minus - so that's how many points you get from winning, and then how many points you lose from losing - and that determines if you're going to be in Division A or Division B," Robertson explained. As for the double-knockout portion, Robertson says, "you're guaranteed two games."
"If you lose the first one, you get moved to the loser's bracket, but you can make your way back up to the finals. But if you lose again, you're out."
In addition to the tournament, there is a base running contest, bat raffles, as well as an all-star game, all taking place in the Lumberman's Park and Robinson Park near the South Cariboo Rec Centre.
"Each team just gives up a guy and a girl. I split them up. We make two separate teams, and it's just a fun game," Robertson explained.
This year, the tournament was held in support of the Cariboo Family Enrichment Centre (CFEC). Very recently, the CFEC stated that they have taken steps to ensure their long-term viability after they lost access to government funding due to the Canada-U.S. trade war, which led to several government funding programs being ended.
Robertson said the fact that the CFEC did not get as much funding as they normally do caused him to support the organization this year.
"They really need it. They're a vital organization ot the community - they help a lot of people," Robertson said. Proceeds from the 50/50 are set to benefit the CFEC this year.
Robertson adds that teams from Merritt, Kamloops, Prince George, 100 Mile House and Williams Lake all came to the community while some teams from the coast had plans to join the tournament, but were unable to make it.
The Night Prowlers is one of the teams that did. 100 Mile House local Melissa Robinson is the coach of the team and said she was proud that she had a great team.
"We work really hard, but we just come out here to have fun," Robinson stated. "We just love ball."
She added this is the first time she participated in Party in the Ballpark, and said "hanging out with new people, making new friends and playing ball" were her favourite parts of the tournament.
As for teams that are not from 100 Mile House, there were the Pavilion Coyotes from the Lillooet area. Dennis Ned, who is part of the team and a member of the Pavilion First Nation, said this was not the first time he had participated in the tournament.
"We had a lot of fun here last year, too, and we came up and had a lot of fun. We actually played with another team, but our team decided to come and we always wanted to support, so that's why we came out here," Ned said.
He has been playing fastball for around 40 years now, and said that getting together with friends and family is his favourite part of Party in the Ballpark.
"I was always taught that it doesn't matter if they're their opponents, we play against some of their friends for life," Ned said.
Robertson said he loves putting on the tournament.
"It's a stress ball, coming up to the last little bit. But then after you get through the hurdles, the first day, it runs itself," Robertson said.
Ultimately, in the A Division, Lillooet's Strikers took home first place, beating out Mount Currie's Shotgunners and 100 Mile House's own Kranky Tips, who took home second and third, respectively. In the B Division, Williams Lake's Coyotes won first, while 100 Mile House's Running Thunder and Smashaholics took second and third.
Robertson said on Wednesday, July 2, they were still finalizing the total amount raised for the CFEC. He did estimate, however, that the final sum would be around $5,000.
