MINOT – You know it’s a small town when kids can run around on the loose all day with candy smeared on their faces while their parents play for bragging rights in a one-pitch softball tournament.

From 21 years old to 69 years young, from hard-core league players to rookies who never swung a bat before, adults in Minot threw together teams representing 12 sections of town for Saturday’s third annual tournament.

Muscles that hadn’t moved for decades cried out before noon for Ben-Gay ointment. Middle-aged outfielders panted out to their positions in between cigarette breaks.

And in the midst of innings filled with good-natured ribbing from teammates came the pretty 6-4-3 double plays, the long balls over the fence, and close calls on runners going home.

The game had its share of big-league injuries, too. The day started with Walt Eastman for the Brighton Hill team robbing a batter of a home run as he snagged the ball at the fence. But the fence snagged Eastman’s face, requiring a trip to the hospital and several stitches.

By supper time, only three teams remained in the double-elimination tournament, including Eastman’s team with him back out in the field.

Dwight Nichols, 69, took a shot to the head on a throw from first to third in an attempt to throw him out. After a serious, and seemingly endless wait for Nichols to respond, the old-timer got up to take his run to home plate to give his team another run.

“I’m all right,” said Nichols. “I’ve got the hardest head in town.” Because of injuries from the first year, the official tournament ball is the Indrediball. The bright green spongy orb normally used as a practice and warm-up ball for regular softball, takes three hands and biceps of steel to keep squeezed in the glove pocket.

Nichols played for the Old Woodman Hill Road team, which won the tournament the first two years. After Dave Castonguay’s West Minot team, eliminated the reigning champs, Nichols lamented, “I would have liked to play ball all day.”

A lot of the parents did play ball all day. The first rounds started Friday evening. By 8 a.m. Saturday, teams in coordinating colors of purple and teal showed up with kids and water bottles in tow.

By evening, Route 124, Brighton Hill and Woodman Hill Road teams were the only teams left to battle out the setting sun for the title of the new champions.

Sadie Pelletier, going into first grade and already finished with her T-ball season, zoomed around on her bike from the first game Saturday until the end while both her parents played non-stop games.

Other kids played in dirt piles or hung around the snack shack.

They all knew each other, grown-ups in lawn chairs or tailgates were always around, even if they weren’t their parents. It was safe, comfortable and home.