The CERN Softball Club's and Geneva Softball League's Bernie Tourney for GSL and invited teams.

Introduction

Bernie Tourney 2007 will take place on July 21, 22 and will be hosted at Higgs field at CERN Prevessin site. Expected participants include the five regular teams from the Geneva Softball League, the Die-Hards and an invited team from Geneva (the Dragons). They will be competing to have the team name inscribed on the prized Bernie Plate, a hand-crafted trophy designed and constructed by local softball artist Paul Garritty.

Please note: Players are welcome to bring their friends and family, but please let the organisers know the names of non-playing members and your car license plate information via the Security Form, or by providing it to your coach.

Game Schedule

The complete schedule of game depends on seeding from league play and then the first day results. Updated schedules will be posted below Games start at 11:00 on Saturday and Sunday and last until late afternoon. We expect that preliminary games (not the Final!) will be 60 minutes / 5 innings. Seeding for Sunday is based on Saturday's results, average beer consumption, and the alignment of the nearest home-runs to the scheduler's car. Teams qualifying for the semi-finals will be required to provide an umpire each for these matches and the final. The Final will be a 7 inning game with no time limit. Home/Away for every game will be determined by a coin toss.

Schedule, Saturday, July 21st

 
      11:00 Quarks  vs. Leptons 
 
      12:10 Bulls   vs. Diehards
 
      13:20 Dragons vs. Mission
 
      14:30 Dozers  vs. Bulls
 
      15:40 Leptons vs. Diehards 
 
      16:50 Quarks  vs. Dragons 
 
      18:00 Mission vs. Dozers
 

Sunday, July 22nd

     Seeds decided: 1. Diehards, 4. Bulls 


 Tie-breaking matches (4 innings, 4 runs/innings max, 45 min max) 

      12:00 Leptons vs. Dragons for seeds 5/6

      12:45 Quarks  vs. Dozers  for seeds 2/3


 Elimination matches (5 innings, 5 runs/inning max, 60 minutes max) 

      13:00 min (Q1) Bulls vs Seed #5

      14:00 min (Q2) Seed #3 vs Seed #6


 Semifinals (6 innings, 5 runs/inning max, 70 minutes max)
      15:15 Diehards (Seed 1) - Winner Q1 

      16:30 Seed 2 - Winner Q2 


 Final  (7 innings, 7 runs/inning max, no time max)
      17:45 Final : 

Food and Drink

Ice cold beverages will also be on sale at a good price - please do not bring your own , unless you have special dietary needs (eg milk for the youngest.) Please DO bring extra water.

Grills are available next to the field. We will provide some prepared food (hot dogs, sausages, salads ) - please contact Brenda Hagen if you are interested to contribute.

In 2007 the event coincides with the CERN Hardronic Festival, which will take place in the neighbouring field on Saturday, July 21st.

There is plenty of space for picnics and other activities.

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. A map locating the field can be found here.

About Bernie

The Bernie Tourney is a festive celebration of softball, organized to honor the memory of Bernard Sutton, the founding father of CERN Softball and one of the key organizers of the Geneva Softball League. Bernie helped to build and run the PS, SPS and LEP colliders during his long and colorful career as an accelerator engineer at CERN. His contributions to both CERN and the CERN Clubs were countless. The Softball Club salutes Bernie the only way we know how: On the field and at the BBQ grill!

Parking/Safety Rules

A designated parking area will be provided, with plenty of parking spots near the field. It is safer to park directly behind the fence than 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. Neither CERN nor the Softball Club accept responsibility for damage or injury caused by tournament activities, including normal softball play (for example home runs).

Families are welcomed and encouraged to show up. Parents, however, are asked to take care that children, and small domestic animals, stay clear of the playing field, to prevent injury. Players and guests need to remain in the area of the tournament and the surrounding field, and not wander around the site, respecting the host site request. Thank you.