The 30th annual Jimmy Fund Tournament will begin on Friday, July 18, with Newtown Babe Ruth Baseball hosting the 14-and-under tournament Bethel Babe Ruth Baseball hosting the 15-and-under tournament.

Bethel is the defending champ of the U14 division and New Milford is defending champ of the U15 division. The U14 tournament will begin on Friday, July 18, and run through Saturday, July 26. The U15 tournament will begin on July 26 and run through Sunday, August 3.

The Newtown tournament will be under the guidance of Newtown Babe Ruth president Frank Rocca and the Bethel tournament will be under the guidance of Bethel Babe Ruth president Bill Slifkin. Both will be under the direction of District 4 Babe Ruth Commission Bill Pullan.

The tournament has been awarded the Tom and Jean Yawkey Memorial Award for raising more than $546,000 for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute (or The Jimmy Fund). The Dana Farber hospital is the number one cancer research facility in New England.

The goal for the tournament – which is the largest teen-age baseball tournament in New England – is to top the $38,000 raised last year.

Teams are entered on a first come, first served basis. There is an entry fee and all teams pay for umpires until the semifinals and finals. The tournaments will be double elimination. The first- and second-place team will receive trophies and town and MVP plaques will also be awarded.

The charity event is for Babe Ruth League teams only. Teams do not have to be All-Star teams as long as they are official Babe Ruth league team. Teams from all over Connecticut will participate. Drawings will be made on Monday, June 23, at 8 pm, at the Bethel Municipal Center on School Street.

Attendance (along with the $225 entry fee) is mandatory.

All parents who accompany the players are expected to take part by donating at least $1 at each and every tournament game that is played. For further information, call Bill Pullan at 744-6415 or 1-860-355-6786.