Tehama - The Magazine

THE MAGAZINE - TEHAMA • MAY 2023 4 For one weekend every year, time stands still in Corning. The same people always show up -- the players, the volunteers and the spectators, some of whom sit in shade tents or on tailgates behind the outfield fence, and even a few who lounge in a party-barge boat anchored just beyond the first- base dugout. The players and spectators come by the hundreds; over the course of the tournament, it be- comes a four-digit crowd count, no small feat at a small-town softball field that, like many adult softball fields these days, sits empty most of the year. In a way, it's like the clock has turned back to the 1980s, when towns like Corning hosted big softball tournaments almost every week. They were often the social gathering place of small communities all summer long. And that's the sad irony here -- this tournament brings all of those things back to life once a year in memory of a man who loved it all, but saw his life end far too early. The 14th annual Tucker Mesker Memorial Classic will be held Aug. 4-6 at Yost Park in Corning, and if you've attended it in the past, chances are you'll be there this weekend too. The tournament was started by the family of Mesker, who died at just 22 in an automobile accident in 2008. The aim was to honor his memory by hosting something he loved -- a softball tournament -- and making it a benefit for the community. "It's a way to keep Tucker's name and legacy going. No one ever loved baseball and softball more than Tucker," Tucker's father, Rob Mesker, said in 2018. "And none of this would be possible without the community's support." That "community support" has worked both ways. While businesses and individuals alike support the tournament every summer, the Tucker Mesker Memorial Foundation, in turn, does a fantastic job of giving back to the community. The foundation has donated roughly $175,000 back to the community through the years, including about $7,000 a year in scholarships to local youths alone. A total of 143 scholar- ships have been given to local high school seniors They raise money through a fully stocked snack bar -- like everything at the tournament, always operated by Tucker's friends and family -- and a raffle that receives dozens, if not hundreds of donations from throughout the area, everything from gift cards and baseball tickets to hunting and fishing gear and games for the kids. And on the field, there's top- notch competition. Most of the same teams return every year, including around a half-dozen from Chico. "Well over half of the teams have been with us every year," Tucker's brother Brant Mesker said. "In the beginning the tournament was significantly smaller. Over the years, as it's grown and become more competitive, some guys will spin off and create their own team. But the core group of guys who put together probably 15 or more teams have been with us since the first year." One of those "core guys" is Corning's Brad Gravitt, whose team, "The Hackers," will lace them up for a 14th consecutive tournament appearance. They've won two of the previous 13 championships. "The level of competition is top-notch, and it's like a big family reunion where we get all the teams together," Gravitt said. "In 40 years playing at Yost Park, this is the best tournament ever run." That's not just an anecdotal statement. In Tehama County's "Best Of" competition for the past two years, "The Tucker," as it's known locally, has been named It's always 'Tucker Time' in Corning The Dirty Vegas are the two-time defending tournament champions. By MIke Wolcott Continued on page 6

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