As summer draws to a close, mark your calendars for a fun Cape May tradition—The Rich Reinhart Junior Clamshell Pitching Tournament. The longest-running contest of its kind in the region, the Junior Clamshell Pitching Tournament is set for Friday, August 30, 2019 on Windsor Beach (across from Congress Hall) in Cape May. Registration begins at 11 a.m. and the tournament starts at noon. The tournament is free and open to boys and girls in two age groups, ages 6 to 11 and ages 12 to 17.

The contest: each player tosses a clamshell about 25 feet towards a small hole dug into the sand in an attempt to get the clamshell in the hole. Shells are provided (or kids can bring their own lucky clamshell) and there are trophies for all winners and runners-up in singles and doubles competition. There will also be free instruction from the pros, so participants don’t even need pitching experience.

Named in memory of Rich Reinhart, the former president and founder of the International Clamshell Pitching Club of Cape May, the tournament is now carried on by Rich’s daughter, Stephanie Stephens.

For additional information contact The City of Cape May at (609) 884-9565.

Age categories:

Six to 11 (holes are 15’ apart and 8” deep)
12 to 17 (holes are 25.5’ apart and 8” deep)
Matches are best-of-three with each played to either 11 or 15 points for younger than 11 years of age and 15 or 21 points for up to 17 years of age
Competition is singles first then players combine to compete as doubles
All are single elimination

Scoring:

Closest to the hole is 1 point
In the hole is 2 points
If both players throw their shells in the hole they cancel each other out
Broken shells can be replaced if less than 2/3rds of the shell remains

Trophies are given to the 1st and 2nd place of each age group, singles and doubles