(Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)
International Holiday Tournament
Dec. 11: Curtis Park
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The 13U Monsoon baseball club hosted the first International Holiday Tournament this weekend at Curtis Park. Teams from Tucson, Southern Arizona, Mexico and Taiwan took part.
Based out of Santa Rita Park, the 13U Monsoon team is one of the newest clubs in the Tucson area yet they were able to bring the 11U and 12U Little League All-Stars from Taiwan to the United States due to an important connection.
Austin and Zhuping Hodge own the Seven Cups Tea House on east sixth street and they also have a son playing for the Monsoon. A native of Taiwan, Zhuping was able to help the youth team in Taiwan arrange for an important visit to the United States.
The two teams are mostly comprised of Indigenous Taiwanese (aborigines) which indicated a need to raise funds for the trip to Arizona and, ultimately, California. The two teams from Taiwan played a few games in the Phoenix area before making the trip down to Tucson on Saturday. They will attend a coaching clinic on Monday and Tuesday in Tucson before heading out to the Los Angeles area to play some games there before heading home.
The Tucson Warriors beat the 11U team from Taiwan 3-2 in the championship game but the 12U team defeated the Tucson Coyotes 9-5 and 8-3 in a best-of-three championship series.
(Andy Morales/AllSportsTucson.com)
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Andy Morales was recognized by the AIA as the top high school reporter in 2014 and has been a youth, high school and college coach for over 30 years. His own children have won multiple state high school championships and were named to all-state teams. Competing in hockey, basketball, baseball and track & field in high school, his unique perspective can only be found here and on AZPreps365.com. Contact Andy Morales at AMoralesMyTucson@yahoo.com
(5-15).
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