RABAUL town in East New Britain will be restored to its glory days as the home of softball when a memorial softball tournament kicks off today
The Nason Paulias tournament will be staged at the Queen Elizabeth Park in Rabaul on Dec 28-Jan 1.
It is organised by the family of late Nason in honour of his contribution the development of softball in Rabaul until his passing in 1991.
The late Nason Paulias was also the former and the longest serving provincial secretary of East New Britain - now referred to as provincial administrator.
He was the main figure behind the successive Gazelle Softball Tournaments which was staged during the festive seasons in the 1980s before being disrupted by the twin volcanic eruptions in Rabaul in 1993.
The upcoming tournament has attracted 12 men and six women teams who will be vying for the cup and the prize-money. The winner collects the cup and K1,000 and the runner-up K500 in both men and women divisions.
Tournament spokesman Raymond Paivu said the Nason Paulias tournament is the first of its kind held in the province and if it goes well, it will become an annual event.
Paveks Limited, a nationally owned company based in the provinces, has donated K5,000 to the organising committees as the major sponsor of the tournament.
Other sponsors included Spirit of Rabaul, SP Brewery, Rabaul Travelodge, and Active Pest Control.
The tournament is also expected to be used as a foundation to revive softball code in the Gazelle Peninsula.