Chico Nuts Fathers Day Tournament returns Thursday through Sunday

Former Chico Nut Zach Martin slides to second base at Doryland Field on Sunday, June 19, 2022, in Chico, California. The Nuts defeated Santa Rosa 5-0 to claim the Father's Day Classic championship. (Kimberly Morales/Enterprise-Record)

Dave Kistle, left, and his son Ryan Kistle chat before day three of the 24th annual Chico Nuts Fathers Day tournament on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at Doryland Field in Chico, California. (Justin Couchot/Chico Enterprise-Record)

CHICO — For 24 years the Chico Nuts American Legion baseball team has brought together families on Father’s Day weekend for its Father’s Day Tournament.

The tradition of fathers and their sons playing catch has been instilled in many households across the globe, and the Chico community is just one where this stands strong.

This will be shown once again at the 25th annual Chico Nuts Fathers Day Tournament at Doryland Field and Pleasant Valley High School in Chico.

With high school baseball concluded for the 2023 season, the Nuts’ Fathers Day Tournament provides members of the Chico community an opportunity to watch talent from Chico and other areas of Northern California over a four day stretch.

This year’s tournament features nine teams competing in 23 games, with the championship game being held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Doryland Field. Ten teams were scheduled to compete, but the head of the Chico Nuts organization Tom Stevens confirmed that one team dropped out Tuesday morning.

Former Chico Nut Wyatt Peters jogs after his home run at the Doryland Field on Sunday, June 19, 2022, in Chico, California. The Nuts defeated Santa Rosa 5-0 to claim the Father's Day Classic championship. (Kimberly Morales/Enterprise-Record)

Former Chico Nuts pitcher Cody Baylor warms up prior to the start of the Nuts game against the Siskiyous Spirits at the 24th annual Chico Nuts Father's Day tournament on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at Doryland Field in Chico, California. (Justin Couchot/Enterprise-Record)

Chico Nuts starting pitcher Conner Babler, left, shakes the hand of Nuts coach Brian Thomas after Babler finished his outing against the Yuba City Stripers in game two of the Chico Nuts Fathers Day Classic on Friday, June 17, 2022 at Doryland Field in Chico, California. (Justin Couchot/Enterprise-Record)

Tournament play begins at 11 a.m. Thursday at Doryland Field, the baseball field furthest back at Hooker Oak Park. Vallejo Post 550 will take on the Yuba City Stripers at 11 a.m., and the two teams will face off once more at 1:30 p.m. At 4 p.m. the NorCal Nationals will play the Reno Knights at Doryland Field, and at 5 p.m. tournament play at Pleasant Valley High School begins.

The Northwest Royals will face off against the Diablo Valley Oaks at 5 p.m. at PV.

The Nuts will finish the opening day of play Thursday when they begin their tournament play at 6:30 p.m. against the California Rays at Doryland Field.

Friday features four games at Doryland Field and two games at PV. The California Rays take on the Northwest Royals at 10 a.m. at Doryland, the Diablo Valley Oaks take on the Chico Nuts at 12:30 p.m., the California Rays face Napa at 3 p.m. and the Diablo Valley Oaks take on Napa at 5:30 p.m.

The Reno Knights will face the Yuba City Stripers at noon Friday at PV, and the Knights will face Vallejo Post 550 at 2:30 p.m. at PV.

Saturday features doubleheaders at Doryland Field and PV. The Northwest Royals begin the day with a doubleheader at Doryland, beginning with Napa at 10 a.m. followed by the Chico Nuts at 12:30 p.m. The Nuts will then face Napa at 3 p.m., followed by the Diablo Valley Oaks against the California Rays at 5:30 p.m.

At PV, the Yuba City Stripers will face the NorCal Nationals at 9 a.m., followed by the Nationals facing Vallejo Post 550 at 11:30 a.m. Vallejo Post 550 will then face the Reno Knights at 2 p.m. at PV.

Sunday, Father’s Day, is championship day.

Teams have been divided into two brackets and will participate in round robin play the first three days of the tournament. After round robin play teams will get seeded Sunday based on how they played the previous three days.

The No. 1 seed from each bracket will play at 2 p.m. at Doryland Field in the championship game. The No. 2 seeds will play at 11:30 a.m. at PV, the No. 3 seeds will play at 9 a.m. at PV and the No. 4 seeds will play at 11:30 at Doryland. With the one team dropping out so just nine teams in play, Stevens said he hopes a team will be willing to play two games Sunday and face off against the No. 5 and last remaining team at 9 a.m. Sunday at Doryland.

So far the Chico Nuts are 2-2 this summer. They are looking to defend their crown at last year’s Father’s Day Tournament when they defeated Santa Rosa.

Sign up for email newsletters