Anticipation is building as the Grand Forks International Baseball Tournament is only days away.
10 teams will descend on Grand Forks to contest the 41st playing of the tournament that dates back to 1974.
The defending champion Seattle Black Fins will be back aiming for their second title in a row. The club has made the final in all 3 of their appearances to date.
This year’s event starts June 22 with a Little League game to kick off the festivities at 5pm, followed by the Opening Ceremonies and GFI Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Opening Day will culminate with the host club Grand Forks Slag Dusters taking on the Burnaby Bulldogs in an all-Canadian matchup at 7:30pm
The Bulldogs, who won the championship in 2014, are back after a year’s hiatus from the event. Turnover in player and coaching staff forced the club to take a step back last year, but they have returned under the direction of player coach Brandon Chernoff.
Grand Forks, meanwhile, also comes in with new leadership. Former National Team player Harold Northcott takes over as field manager and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge which will undoubtedly benefit the local side. Jay Huggins, who served as player-coach the past two tournaments will remain in a similar capacity.
Many familiar faces return to the Grand Forks lineup, several of whom are from the Boundary and Kootenay area. Lucas Miracle and Jake Maniago, both from Trail, will return, along with a few newcomers. Fan favourites Liam Balance, Connor McCurdy, Darren Kolk, and Josh Laukkannen are among the veterans returning to the club for 2025.
A new club will make their first appearance in Grand Forks. The Alameda Merchants, from the Oakland area, will have their debut on Monday June 23 in the feature game against the Slag Dusters. The Merchants are a travelling squad made up of collegiate and ex professional players. The majority of their team is comprised of players in the Bay Area Collegiate Summer League, which Alameda won in 2023.
Returning to the tournament will be the defending champion Seattle Black Fins aiming for their second title in a row. The club has made the final in all 3 of their appearances to date and there is no reason to doubt their continued success in 2025’s event.
Also returning to the GFI are the Alaska Goldpanners, of Fairbanks. The club has a long and rich history dating back 58 years. Many Major League players have suited up for the ‘Panners over the years including Dave Winfield, Barry Bonds, and Tom Seaver. Most recently Alex Vesia (2017) became the latest Goldpanner Alumni to make the Majors when he debuted with Miami in 2020. He won a World Series with the Dodgers last year.
The six-time champion Seattle Studs make their annual trek north. The Studs have appeared in 36 of the 40 previous events, marking the most by any club. GFI Hall of Famer Barry Aden, with 36 appearances as a player and manager at the tournament, continues as their field general.
The 2023 champion Everett Merchants and fan favourite Northwest Honkers round out the US based clubs.
Representing the remaining clubs north of the border will be the Coquitlam Angels and Calgary Dinger Bat Diamondbacks who both return for their third time.
The tournament will also feature the annual Home Run Derby on Tuesday June 24. The Junior Derby kicks things off at 8:30pm followed by the main event.
Games begin daily at 10am followed by 1pm, 4pm, and 7:30pm start times. Grand Forks will play in the feature game on the 22nd, 23rd, 25th and 27th.
The top four teams in each division will begin single elimination playoff action on Saturday June 28th with semifinals and finals on Sunday June 29. The finale starts at 3pm. All games are at James Donaldson Park.
Tickets can be purchased at the gate. Tournament passes, family passes, and weekend passes are available in addition to daily admission tickets. For a complete schedule and special event discounted ticket prices, check out the Grand Forks International Baseball website at www.grandforksbaseball.com
