Medford Invitational Tournaments, Inc.
8 East Border Circle
Medford, MA 02155-4605
(781) 321-1836
 
 
Eighteen Years of Excellence in Youth Baseball


The purpose of Medford Invitational Tournaments (“MIT-Inc.”) is to promote youth baseball, for boys and girls, from ages five to eighteen, in the Medford, Massachusetts and the Greater Boston area. At the forefront of this objective is to ensure that Baseball, the national pass-time, and all the positive attributes of improving physical and mental prowess, sportsmanship, friendship, athletic competition and discipline, is made available on a basis more regular than that offered through traditional organizations such as Little League, Babe Ruth and scholastics athletics. Simply put, our goal is to share our passion for the game with others. Our number one goal is to make sure that our young participants have fun playing baseball. Recognizing that the socio-economic setting of the cities and towns, in which the founders wish to operate, is diverse, it is of utmost importance that MIT programs be accessible to all boys and girls, regardless of financial status, race, color or religious belief.

Among the goals of the founders is to promote involvement, improvement and a strive for excellence, in the technical aspects of baseball, through training sessions and clinics organized by MIT and conducted by qualified adult instructors, under the auspices of MIT. As other youth sports have increased in participant numbers, it is the belief of the MIT founders that, while the number of youth participants in baseball has remained strong, other competing youth sports have gained ground on the national pass-time due to inaccessibility (cost and / or lack of organization) of qualified instructors and simply a lack of available facilities which are extremely limited in the Northeast due to the varying climate.

As referred to above, the traditional mediums of Little League, Babe Ruth and scholastic competition hold only brief sessions that end only days after school lets out for summer vacation. As a result, this creates a void for many youngsters. As such, and as their first endeavor, in 1996, with a goal of providing the youth living in the aforementioned area a platform to continue playing the game they so loved, the first annual Medford Invitational Tournament was organized. That inaugural year showcased three teams involving 50 young ballplayers, their coaches, parents and family members. The youth participated in three games over two days on August 10 & 11, exclusive of pre-tournament practices and game preparation.

Despite the organization’s title, no “invitation” was, or is, necessary to participate. Only completion of a standard application and the nominal fee is required to enter a team. Due to this inclusive format, the tournament, in only its third year of 1999, had grown to twelve participating teams with eleven cities and towns participating. The MIT holds no affiliation to any team in our tournament. The Medford entry is as independent as all our participants from surrounding communities. Contrary to popular belief, the MIT is not involved with how each entry compiles their all-star teams. This is consistent with our commitment to all the kids to run a fair and competitve tournament.

Consistent with its objectives, MIT began a winter instructional clinic during the winter of 1997-1998. The clinic offers technical instruction, and just plain fun, in all aspects of baseball to each of two age groups, at a fraction of the cost of other area group, semi-private or private instruction now fashionable and offered by for-profit, entrepreneurial concerns and individuals. The MIT winter clinics begin on the Sunday after Columbus Day and continue for twenty weeks. Sessions within the clinics are every Sunday (ages 5-12 from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. & ages 13&Up from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.) during this period. The sessions are held indoors at facilities located and owned by Tufts University in Medford / Somerville, Massachusetts. This facility is considered by many as one of the finest in New England, and has been utilized by professional teams including the Cincinnati Reds during their 1975 World Series with the Boston Red Sox. MIT pays a fee to Tufts University to cover overhead costs incurred by the University in providing a safe, clean, baseball-suitable environment. The MIT is is proud of its long partnership with Tufts University.

By the 2000-season, clinic grew to 230 participants with a completely volunteer instructional coaching staff numbering twenty.

As the size of the above two programs continues to grow, it is the hope that new programs will be developed toward delivering the goal of MIT to a broader scope of participants.

Each August, the Medford Invitational Tournaments, Inc. hosts its annual 12 year-old all-star tournament. The tournament participants come from cities like Malden, Wakefield, Billerica and Newton. This year, we celebrate our fifteen year anniversary and 12 teams are coming to this great tournament. The tournament runs for two weeks and is played at Columbus in South Medford, the official home of the Medford Invitational Tournament.