Cedar Rapids to Host Pohnpei Liberation Day Tournament

The City of Cedar Rapids will host 55 softball teams with players from the South Pacific islands including Guam, Hawaii, and the Federated States of Micronesia. A tournament celebrating Pohnpei Liberation Day, an official holiday in the Micronesian state of Pohnpei, will be held September 4 and 5, with opening ceremonies held on September 3. Pohnpei Liberation Day commemorates the liberation of Pohnpei from Japanese occupation on September 11, 1945. Players on 42 men’s teams and 13 women’s teams are descendants of Pohnpei. Multiple high-ranking dignitaries from the South Pacific islands will be present for opening ceremonies.

The tournament, usually held in Hawaii, is hosted in Cedar Rapids for the first time because the champions of the 2019 tournament live in Cedar Rapids. As a reward for winning that tournament, they were provided with the opportunity to host the event this year and carry the flag at opening ceremonies. The team is comprised of approximately 20 families who have played in Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department softball leagues for more than 15 years. They typically travel to Hawaii to participate in the annual tournament.

The tournament will be held at Tait Cummins Softball Complex, 3000 C Street SW. The tournament is free to watch. Projected attendance is 1500 each day of the tournament.