The Circle Tap fastpitch softball team in Denmark won the Amateur Softball Association national championship in 2006. Those associated with the team began to run the Boys of Summer fastpitch tournament five years earlier as the club was in the midst of its most competitive stretch.

The team folded in 2008 as expenses increased, the roster got older and there were no younger players to carry on the tradition. Circle Tap owner Darren Derricks and a staff of about 10 to 15, however, continue to run the Boys of Summer tournament despite not fielding a team.

 

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The idea is to keep a link to past softball greatness with the hope to renew and develop local interest.

"Outside of the ISC world tournament and the ASA national championship, this is probably the toughest tournament," Kane said. "We've always wanted to keep the spirit of the game alive in the area even though there's only one major team left in Wisconsin — The Bar in Appleton. We'd love to see young kids get into the game and bring it back. … Keep that vision alive so kids can see what it takes to get to the top level.

"We just kind of felt as long as teams are willing to come here, we're going to have a place for them to play. Tournaments are dying across the country just like teams are dying. If they don't have anywhere to play, we're not helping matters."