Tiffin Honor Games are back for 2025

What is better than some baseball or softball on Memorial Day?That's what Tiffin will get this year as the Tiffin Honor Games begin Saturday with a youth baseball tournament at Hedges-Boyer Park and will end after Columbian and Calvert play each other once again in baseball and softball, this time at Columbian's fields. "Meeting with both schools Calvert and Columbian, we just wanted to find a date where there was the least amount of interference with tournament games, prom or graduation … with the high school baseball season starting a week later this later date might actually benefit them more this season," Tiffin Honor Games President and former Columbian baseball coach Curt Mellott said. "That was the main reason we went later this year, plus with the tie-in with it being Memorial Day, we thought was an important piece of the puzzle. The youth teams are an important piece as well and it's a huge chance for us to solidify things."Last year, the games were a bit earlier in the season with the games at Calvert with a parade beforehand. This year with it being on Memorial Day, there is already a parade happening, but with the games honoring service men and women, along with the Seneca County Honor Bus, it made sense."Having the youth tournament is big because it showcases our community, our teams and our facilities to hopefully raise more money for them as well, but also there already is a parade on Memorial Day, so it's a way to get more people out there to see what we're doing," Mellott said. "We're up to 12 teams in the youth tournament, but we hope that number will triple by next year, so we feel good with where we're at with that."The youth tournament is Saturday and Sunday at Hedges-Boyer Park as there will be free parking and admission for all, 50/50 and other drawings on both days, concessions and Tiffin Honor Games apparel will be for sale all weekend, the Seneca County Honor Bus informational stand will be open all weekend for donations and food trucks will be on site both days as well.For the Crosstown Classic with high school baseball and softball Monday, the varsity games will begin at 1:30 p.m. There will be 250 chicken dinners available at 11 a.m. Monday at $15 each, there will be a Kona Ice Truck on site, the first pitch honorees and opening ceremonies begin at 1 p.m. (fire, police and veteran honorees), concessions and Tiffin Honor Games apparel will be for sale while supplies last, 50/50 and other drawings between the varsity and JV contests and there will be a salute to service fifth inning honor ceremony.Just like the youth tournament, Tiffin baseball/softball will be on full display as Calvert (21-3) baseball is currently ranked No. 1 in the state and Columbian (10-14) is coming off an upset tournament win at No. 2 Defiance. In softball, Calvert has had an excellent season at 20-4 overall, while the Tornadoes (10-15) have had some big wins under first-year coach Ryan Ottney."I think what you're going to see is that overall school pride where they want to do their best for their local high schools," Mellott said. "At the end of the day with any game, it's going to boil down to whoever plays the cleanest game. There will be a lot of school pride out there no matter what."According to the press release for the Honor Games: "There are over 105 partnering organizations for the 2025 Tiffin Honor Games that encompass Tiffin and the greater Seneca County area. The mission of the Tiffin Honor Games is to pay honor and tribute to all servant leaders of the greater Tiffin, Ohio community while raising funds and awareness for organizations within Tiffin that are here to better serve our community and those in need. For more information, or added details about the weekend's events, please contact Curt Mellott or check out our website https://tiffinhonorgames.org.