Introduction

This year's Bernie Tourney will also feature the Grand Inauguration of Higgs Field, home of the CERN Softball Club. The two-day extravaganza will combine softball with live music, volleyball, and other festivities, including the official inauguration ceremony and plenty of beer and BBQ goodies. The event takes place Saturday and Sunday, August 4th and 5th, 2001, at Higgs Field in bustling Prévessin, France.

Food and Drink

Grills are available on the CERN site. Participants are asked to please bring their own grillables, although there may be some extra if you forget. Ice cold beverages will be on sale cheap. No need to bring your own.

Live Entertainment

Saturday evening will feature entertainment from three of the greatest bands this side of the Versoix River:

• 19:00 Home Cooking
• 20:30 The Canettes Blues Band
• 22:00 Sly

These performances will take place Saturday evening on the restaurant patio just around the corner from the softball field. Drink will be on sale for very modest prices and there will be hot grils if you want to barbecue. You will certainly not want miss this event. Bring the family, bring your friends, bring your friends' families' friends. Just be there!

Game Schedule and Results

Participants will include the seven regular teams from the Geneva Slow-Pitch League who will be competing for the prized Bernie Plate, a hand-crafted trophy designed and constructed by local softball artist Paul Garritty. There will be seven first-round games on Saturday, an elimination round on Sunday morning, semi-finals and a final on Sunday afternoon.

Notes:

• All games will start on time. If a team has less than 8 players at game time, they forfeit. If both teams have less than 8, the game is cancelled and both teams receive a loss.
• Elimination games last five innings. Whatever inning is being played after 45 minutes is the last inning. Any team intentionally stalling will be forced to drink warm beer at the BBQ.
• The team with the best record after Saturday gets a bye to the semi-finals. If there are more than one team with the best records, margin of victory will be used to decide the winner.
• Final game lasts seven innings. No time limit.
• Home and Away for every game will be determined by a coin toss.

Map of Higgs Field located the CERN site in Prévessin, France.

Map and Directions

Higgs Field is located on the CERN site in Prévessin, France. An interactive map locating the field can be found here. A map locating the CERN site relative to the Geneva Airport can be found here.

Information on hotels in the region can be found at the CERN Housing web site. The closest hotels are in St. Genis and Ferney-Voltaire.

About Bernie

Bernie Sutton was the founding father of CERN Softball and one of the key architects of the Geneva Slow-Pitch League. He was a terrible player and an even worse coach. But, we loved Bernie and I am sure he would be honored to know we were holding a tournament in his name. Escpecially if there is a barbeque involved...

Parking/Safety Rules

There is plenty of parking next to the field. It is safer to park directly behind the fence then next to it. If you are afraid of your car getting hit by a softball, it is recommended to park in the restaurant parking lot. CERN does not accept responsibility for damage or injury caused by normal softball play (including home runs).

Families are welcomed and, in fact, encouraged to show up. Parents, however, are asked to take care that children and other small domestic animals, stay clear of the playing field, to prevent injury. Thank you.