Teams invade Strand for Mingo Bay

The name and formats have changed over the last 30 years, but the commitment to quality baseball never wavered for the tournament now known as the Mingo Bay Classic -- click here for week 1 schedule.

Georgetown coach Mike Johnson recalls the inception of the event. A handful of teams from Northern states had traditionally made a Spring Break trip to the Grand Strand, and would play against a handful of local schools in what were considered regular-season games. But in 1980, the S.C. High School League changed scheduling rules to allow teams to play only 20 regular-season games and one tournament.

Johnson thought it might be a good idea to invite four Northern teams to play against four local clubs. "I came up with that hair-brained idea on the spur of the moment," Johnson recalled. He called then-Myrtle Beach athletic director Doug Shaw, Sr., who agreed with the idea. And the North-South tournament was born.

Georgetown hosted the championships the first year, before all involved parties decided it didn't make much sense for teams based in or staying in Myrtle Beach to drive 43 miles to Georgetown, Johnson said.

Over the years, more Northern teams wanted a chance to play and more area schools have opened and become involved. Johnson and some other area coaches decided in the 1990s to bring on a sponsor, and the event became the Hawaiian Tropic Baseball Classic, then Mingo Bay Classic.

When the first week of the 2010 event begins on Monday, 32 teams representing a half-dozen states will be playing at eight area schools (St. James, Socastee, Conway, Carolina Forest, Aynor, Loris, Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach).

Games will begin at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

"There's a bunch of team that bring a bunch of people that spend a lot of money," said Tim Renfrow, one of the event's organizers. "Most of the time they have good weather. These are the first games of the season for some of the teams from up North, and a lot of these coaches have been coming for years."

The second week of the tournament begins April 5 with more than two dozen teams playing at Georgetown, Waccamaw, Conway, Socastee, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and Carolina Forest.

By Ryan Elswick

Georgetown coach Mike Johnson recalls the inception of the event. A handful of teams from Northern states had traditionally made a Spring Break trip to the Grand Strand, and would play against a handful of local schools in what were considered regular-season games. But in 1980, the S.C. High School League changed scheduling rules to allow teams to play only 20 regular-season games and one tournament.

Johnson thought it might be a good idea to invite four Northern teams to play against four local clubs. "I came up with that hair-brained idea on the spur of the moment," Johnson recalled. He called then-Myrtle Beach athletic director Doug Shaw, Sr., who agreed with the idea. And the North-South tournament was born.

Georgetown hosted the championships the first year, before all involved parties decided it didn't make much sense for teams based in or staying in Myrtle Beach to drive 43 miles to Georgetown, Johnson said.

Over the years, more Northern teams wanted a chance to play and more area schools have opened and become involved. Johnson and some other area coaches decided in the 1990s to bring on a sponsor, and the event became the Hawaiian Tropic Baseball Classic, then Mingo Bay Classic.

When the first week of the 2010 event begins on Monday, 32 teams representing a half-dozen states will be playing at eight area schools (St. James, Socastee, Conway, Carolina Forest, Aynor, Loris, Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach).

Games will begin at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Wednesday.

"There's a bunch of team that bring a bunch of people that spend a lot of money," said Tim Renfrow, one of the event's organizers. "Most of the time they have good weather. These are the first games of the season for some of the teams from up North, and a lot of these coaches have been coming for years."

The second week of the tournament begins April 5 with more than two dozen teams playing at Georgetown, Waccamaw, Conway, Socastee, Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach and Carolina Forest.

By Ryan Elswick