FREEPORT — It's been 12 years since Sonny Westerman put together a baseball tournament in Freeport featuring teams from all over the planet.

The concept was a novel one: No trophies. No awards. No MVP or all-stars. No standings or record kept. Just baseball for the fun of it

Now the Freeport International Baseball Invitational has become a staple of mid-July in Freeport.

"I'm amazed," Westerman said. "I'm amazed everyone is still so interested in it, that they keep coming. I'm amazed at all the help we get."

Starting Tuesday, about 34 teams from the four corners of the globe will descend on the six area fields the invitational uses: Laura Doerr Park in Saxonburg, Swartz Field in Freeport, Springdale, Highlands, Ford City and Twin Cities.

Teams from Japan, The Netherlands and Canada will participate.

The Japanese team has come to Freeport every year since the event began.

"They just love it," Westerman said. "I just can't get over it that they come every year."

It's not cheap to fly halfway around the world, yet Japan makes the trip every year.

Area teams such, as Freeport Palomino, Saxonburg Legion and Saxonburg Colt, will participate as well.

Highlands,Ford City, Kittanning, Springdale and Arnold also will have teams competing, Westerman said.

For the first time, this year's Invitational features a one-day Future Freeport Invitational for teams ages 10 to 12. Those games will be played July 23 at Freeport Community Park.

Game schedules are tentative and subject to change. Games on tap at Laura Doerr Park and Swartz Field are listed below.

Swartz Field will host an old-timers game at 8 p.m. Thursday.

Some notable participants in that game will be former Steelers linebacker Robin Cole, former Pirates John Candelaria and Frank Thomas, NFL official TomStabile and former NFL offensive lineman Jeff Christy.

There will be a home run derby at 6 p.m. next Friday and a USA vs. The World game at 8 p.m. July 22, followed by a fireworks display.

Players for the USA-World game will be selected by each team's coaches.

It is not an all-star game.

That's just the wayWesterman intended it to be 12 years ago.

"This invitational celebrates just playing baseball," Westerman said. "That's what we set out to do. The kids just love it."

Laura Doerr ParkTuesday — Kentucky Crusaders vs. Mayo-Annapolis, 11 a.m.; Conneaut Post 151 vs. St. Joseph Spartans, 2 p.m.; LaPlata Legion vs. Saxonburg Legion, 5 p.m.

Wednesday — Netherlands vs. Mayo-Annapolis, 11 a.m.; Pine-Richland vs. Conneaut Post 151, 2 p.m.; Major Minors vs. Saxonburg Colt, 5 p.m.

Thursday — New York Blues-Canada vs. Bluegrass Colt, 11 a.m.; New York Blues-Canada vs. Saxonburg Colt, 2 p.m.; Niagara Falcons vs. Saxonburg Legion, 5 p.m.

Friday — Kentucky Crusaders vs. Conneaut Post 151, 11 a.m.; Bourbon Co. Ky.Colt vs. Saxonburg Colt, 2 p. m.; Bourbon Co. Ky.Legion vs. Saxonburg Legion, 5 p.m.

Saturday — Majors Minors vs. Mercyhurst Prep, 11 a.m.; Bluegrass Colt vs. Saxonburg Colt, 2 p.m.; Bluegrass Legion vs. Saxonburg Legion, 5 p.m.

Swartz FieldTuesday — Niagara Falcons vs. Beaver Valley Red Sox, 11 a.m.; Freeport Palomino vs. Bluegrass Legion, 2 p. m.; Broadview Heights vs. N/S Buffalo Colt, 5 p.m.; Bluegrass Legion vs. Netherlands, 8 p.m.

Wednesday — Niagara Colt vs. Majors Minors, 11 a.m.; Niagara Colt vs. Apollo Colt, 2 p.m.; Broadview Heights vs. Mercyhurst Prep, 5 p.m.; New York Blues-Canada vs. N/S Buffalo Colt, 8 p.m.

Thursday — Netherlands vs. Bourbon Co. Legion, 11 a.m.; N/S Buffalo Colt vs. Mercyhurst Prep, 2 p.m.; Japan vs. Conneaut Post 151, 5 p.m.; Old-Timers Game, 8 p.m.

Friday — Bourbon Co. Legion vs. Niagara Falcons, 10 a.m.; Japan vs. Mercyhurst Prep, 1 p.m.; Majors Minors vs. Pittsburgh Thunder, 4 p.m.; Freeport Palomino vs. Niagara Falcons, 8 p.m.

Saturday — LaPlata Legion vs. Beaver Valley Red Sox, 11 a.m.; N/S Buffalo Colt vs. Bourbon Co. Colt, 2 p.m.; Freeport Palomino vs. Majors Minors, 5 p.m.; All-American Team vs. All-International Team, 8 p.m.