By Rich Chrampanis
RED BANK – One of the first major sporting events in the Garden State since the coronavirus pandemic caused a shutdown in March brought thousands of fans, including Gov. Phil Murphy, to baseball fields across the state.
The Last Dance Baseball Tournament features 222 teams throughout New Jersey in a remarkable non sanctioned high school baseball event that continues through the end of the month. The first week of play gave every team the chance to play three games and honor the seniors who lost their final season when spring sports were canceled due to COVID-19 in New Jersey.
Red Bank Catholic hosted a four-team regional during the first week of play and Murphy attended two games, including the championship game between Neptune and Howell.
New Jersey governor Phil Murphy watched two games in Red Bank during the first week of the Last Dance Base- ball Tournament.
“It feels fantastic,” Murphy said at Count Basie Field. “People have been dying to get out to both play sports and watch sports. Baseball is America’s pastime. We saw a short amount of the Howell-Neptune game. Just a fantastic tournament and it culminates (July 31) in Trenton and I’m really excited to see this thing unfold.”
Murphy and his wife Tammy wore masks throughout their time watching the baseball game that attracted crowds lining both sides of the field. “Across the board, New Jerseyans have done extraordinarily well right from the beginning, better than any American state,” the governor said. “Mask usage still isn’t what I would like it to be but I have to tell you, my wife and I were just commenting that it’s going up dramatically and that’s a good thing. I know it’s not a fun thing but we know the science is stay away from each other and stay safe. That’s the best defense we’ve got.”
Following next week’s championship game, the focus of the high school sports community will shift to fall sports which have already been pushed back to an Oct. 1 start date due to safety concerns. The fact that 333 games were played over three days in the Last Dance Tournament is an encouraging sign that sports can be staged, but Murphy knows the pandemic has forced everyone across the country to take a “wait-and-see approach” when it comes to schools and sports this fall.
“It’s too early to tell,” Murphy said. “We’re seeing the virus is raging in other states around the country but right now as we sit here in the middle of July this tournament is off to a great start. I am encouraged. We’re going to have to do it carefully, responsibly, but so far so good.”
The article originally appeared in the July 23 – 29, 2020 print edition of The Two River Times.
