Since 1981
The Saladino Baseball Tournament
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THE STATE OF THE SALADINO TOURNAMENT
AS WE PREPARE FOR OUR 28th YEAR, WE FEEL COMPELLED, OBLIGATED, AND PROUD TO ISSUE THIS “STATE OF THE SALADINO TOURNAMENT” MESSAGE, WHICH IS SOUND, ALIVE, WELL, AND IMPROVING!
IT IS OUR SINCERE ATTEMPT TO SQUELCH, STOP, PUT AN END TO, FINISH, TERMINATE, CEASE, DISCONTINUE, HALT, AND CONCLUDE ALL RUMORS, INNUENDO’S, HEARSAY, GOSSIP, HINTS, BUZZ, IMPLICATIONS, AND GRAPEVINE WITH RESPECT TO THE FUTURE AND/OR THE END OF THE SALADINO TOURNAMENT, THE STATUS OF OUR HEALTH AND THE STATE OF THE TOURNAMENT.
WE HAVE NOT PUT A TIMELINE ON THE END OF THE TOURNAMENT. IN RECENT YEARS, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME HEALTH ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH SURGERIES, BLOOD CLOTS, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HIGH CHOLESTEROL, STRESS TESTS, MEDICAL TESTS, MRI’s, X-RAYS, AND THE AGING PROCESS.
THROUGH THE YEARS OUR HEALTH, AND, THE TOURNAMENT HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED BY MANY HURDLES, ROADBLOCKS, OBSTACLES, BARRICADES, BARRIERS, COMPLICATIONS, DIFFICULTIES, HINDRANCES, IMPEDIMENTS, OBSTRUCTIONS, STUMBLING BLOCKS, AND SNAGS, BUT WE ALWAYS ADAPT, OVERCOME, AND SURVIVE!
THE POPULAR AND HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PRE-TOURNAMENT BREAKFAST WAS CANCELLED AND DISCONTINUED IN 2006. BERTHA SALADINO CREATED AND ESTABLISHED THE BREAKFAST IN 1981 TO ENCOURAGE CAMARADERIE AND FELLOWSHIP AMONG ALL THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL PLAYERS AND COACHES, AND TO PROVIDE THEM WITH INSPIRATIONAL AND MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS.
IN RECENT YEARS, SOME SCHOOLS WERE NOT ATTENDING THE BREAKFAST, OTHERS WERE LEAVING THE BREAKFAST EARLY DURING THE GUEST SPEAKER’S PRESENTATION, AND SCHEDULING, GAME TIMES, DISTANT TRAVEL, AND HOST SITE COMMITMENTS ALSO PUT CONSTRAINTS ON ATTENDANCE.
COINCIDENTALLY, BERTHA’S PHYSICIAN SUGGESTED SHE RELINQUISH HER VIGOROUS DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BREAKFAST DUE TO HER BLOOD CLOTS SO THAT SHE CAN BE WELL RESTED AND PHYSICALLY ABLE TO HOST THE HOSPITALITY TRAILER FOR THE WEEK OF THE TOURNAMENT
WHEN ALL OF THE FACTORS WERE CONSIDERED, WE RELUCTANTLY DISCONTINUED THE BREAKFAST, MUCH TO OUR REGRET.
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE FUTURE, THE TOURNAMENT WILL CONTINUE UNDER OUR SUPERVISION AND GUIDANCE UNTIL WE FEEL THAT WE CAN NO LONGER CAPABLY, ADEQUATELY, AND EFFICIENTLY PROVIDE A QUALITY, FIRST CLASS HIGH SCHOOL TOURNAMENT FOR GREATER HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
WHEN THE TIME COMES THAT WE FEEL THAT WE CAN NO LONGER CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF THE TOURNAMENT, FOR WHATEVER REASON, WE WILL ANNOUNCE THE TERMINATION AND DISCONTINUANCE OF THE SALADINO TOURNAMENT.
FOR NOW WE ARE COPING WITH GROWTH, SPRAWLING SITES, AND ALL KINDS OF RUMORS AND SPECULATIONS, TO PROVIDE ALL TEAMS WITH A FAIR AND BALANCED SCHEDULE FORMAT, AND A FIRST-CLASS HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL TOURNAMENT.
ONE OF THE MOST REWARDING FEATURES OF OUR TOURNAMENT IS THE FACT THAT WE NEVER
HAVE, AND, NEVER WILL REQUIRE ANY ENTRY FEE FROM ANY SCHOOL, TEAM, OR INDIVIDUAL TO PARTICIPATE IN THE TOURNAMENT.
WE ARE GRATEFUL TO BE APPROVED AND SUPPORTED ANNUALLY BY THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD, THE SUPERINTENDENT, THE HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS, AND THE COUNTY ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, AND, WE ADAMANTLY OBEY, OBSERVE, AND COMPLY WITH ALL OF THEIR ATHLETIC AND EDUCATIONAL POLICIES AND GOALS.
WE ARE ALSO GRATEFUL TO BE SANCTIONED ANNUALLY BY THE FLORIDA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION AND STRICTLY ABIDE BY THEIR ENTIRE HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL TOURNAMENT POLICIES.
THE SUCCESS OF THE TOURNAMENT THROUGH THE YEARS IS BASED PRIMARILY ON OUR DEVOTION TO EACH OTHER, OUR COMMITMENT TO THE PLAYERS, COACHES, AND FANS—FROM TINY TOTS TO SENIOR CITIZENS, OUR LOYAL, FAITHFUL, RELIABLE, AND EFFICIENT VOLUNTEER STAFF, THE COMMUNITY OF GREATER HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND COUNTLESS SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS.
AS ALWAYS, OUR GOAL IS TO STRIVE TO MAKE FRIENDS, MAKE MEMORIES, AND MAKE CARING & RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS—ONE INNING AT A TIME!
THE SALADINO TOURNAMENT IS ALIVE AND WELL AND WILL CONTINUE TO FLOURISH UNTIL WE END IT.
PLAY BALL!
YOURS IN BASEBALL, FOR KIDS’ SAKE,
Bertha and Tony Saladino