On December 23, 2011 the Peabody Fire Department faced a tragedy that no department ever wants to happen. Sadly we lost one of our own, our Brother, our Friend, Jim Rice in a 3 alarm fire at 5 Hancock Street and we are still trying to put the pieces back together today. Jim was an eleven year veteran and he truly was liked, respected and admired by all. He had a great sense of humor that was always accompanied by an infectious laugh and he never failed to amuse a room full of people with a joke or a story. Even if you already heard it, you listened to him anyway because no one told it like Jim.

We want to remember Jim and all he loved. His Family was first and foremost in his life but Jim also loved softball. The game was one of his great pass times and he spent many an evening, afternoon , Sunday morning and entire weekend on a field somewhere playing. So to honor Jim, and his memory, we decided to hold a tournament. All of the proceeds from the tournament and the sale of any food and clothing items will go directly to Jim's wife and children, and for the fee, all of us will play a game he loved and honor his memory for two days.