ISHPEMING — The 40th edition of the Ishpeming High School alumni softball tournament kicked off Tuesday evening with a team comprised of classes from the 1960s and 70s going up against the Classes of 1998-01 at the Ishpeming Playgrounds.

The “old-timers” team topped the team from the turn of the century 19-14 in 3 1/2 innings.

Tim Hares, tournament director and player on the 60s-70s team, said this year was nothing short of successful once again.

“We’ve been doing it since I’ve graduated high school,” he said. “It’s a wonderful event and we’re doing more and more different things (each year). “We’ve got a girls tournament going on now too, just for girls and their classes.

“Overall it’ll be another successful year. It’s a little hard for some of the people to come home when the Fourth falls on a Thursday, but it’s a great time. It’s like a huge class reunion for everybody every year.”

32 teams from various graduating classes entered this year’s tournament, which falls in line with Ishpeming’s Independence Day festivities as well as other Hematites alumni events, such as an alumni open house that took place this morning.

Tournament games start as late as midnight throughout the week, with the finals taking place at Al Quaal on Thursday in conjunction with the City of Ishpeming’s annual Fourth of July community picnic.

Three championships will be contested, with winners being crowed in the Blue, White and Kalevi’s Ladies Divisions.

The only prize? Bragging rights and a trophy that’s kept at the Congress restaurant in Ishpeming.

“No prize,” Hares said. “You talk about it for a year and play a couple of games together with your friends. We have a running trophy down at Congress that you can put your name on with your class on there.”

After the Classes of ’98-01 took a 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning, the ’60s-’70s squad cranked out four runs in the bottom half of the inning, including a double to the center field gap from Hares that plated two runs.

After a 1-2-3 second inning for the old-timers, the bats came alive for them again in the bottom half with 13 runs to go up 17-5.

The offensive outburst came as a surprise even to Randy Bergman, Class of 1968.

“I’m 69 years old and two of my teammates are 70 years old,” he said. “We’re playing against 36 through 39 year olds. I’m shocked that we won.

“I was surprised I even got a hit. My first one in three years. But we’ve got some good ball players that still play ball, believe it or not.”

While Bergman is long-retired from competitive and organized play, he still tries to stay active with softball and baseball.

“I still umpire in four different leagues every Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday,” he said. “I coach, I try to stay active and involved and I know a lot of people. I can be a team recruiter to get guys here. Those guys showed up tonight and represented us well.”

While Bergman’s team plays again today at 5:45, he won’t be in the lineup this time and for very good reason.

“I won’t be here because I’m going to be watching my grandson play in the Westwood tournament at the same time,” he said. “Watching my grandson at 18 years old is more important than me playing at 69.”

After adding two more runs and going up 19-9 after three, ’98-’01 mounted five runs in the top of the fourth, but the comeback came up five runs shy. The game was called after the top of the fourth due to the next game waiting to take the field.

Hares isn’t in this thing on his own, and part of the success of the long-running tournament is the support of the Ishpeming community.

“The City of Ishpeming takes care of us here every year,” he said. “They keep the fields immaculate. Wilderness Sports helps us with softball. Carpet Specialists helps us with the (home plate) mats.

:“It works out good. Every year is the same thing and every year everybody talks about coming back. Overall, it’s pretty good.”

Tournament brackets can be found on the Ishpeming High School Alumni Association Facebook page. The Ladies Division championship is slated for 1:45, followed by the White division at 2:45 and the Blue division at 4, all slated for July 4 at Al Quaal.