This weekend will be the last of a highly touted annual softball tournament, the Budweiser “Bud” Open. Bob Fasbender has been instrumental in organizing this event for the past 40 years in partnership with the Auen family.
Fasbender says one of the driving factors for his involvement is the scholarship opportunities they have been able to provide. But there are other reasons as well.
There have been hundreds of volunteers over the years and all are invited as they will be recognized for their efforts. Fasbender says he wants to give a special thank you to his current assistant, Lyn Knobbe-Krause and another who was involved for nearly a decade.
Fasbender recalls times when they played at the little league fields. One year it was rainy and they were forced to move to Rolling Hills. The park was surrounded by water, but there was one open area.
Dave Auen’s brother, Jim, says they have had a great run, and 40 years of any event is phenomenal. And when he thinks of the Bud Open, he thinks of Bob Fasbender and the City of Carroll.
This event has become such a tradition that the grandchildren of some of those original team members are playing now. Auen has been to every Bud Open over the last 40 years, on hand to also present the prizes. One of the stand-out memories for him from over all these years is the consistency.
The three-day, double-elimination tournament begins today (Friday) and runs through Sunday at the softball complex. Everyone is invited to come out and join in the fun with $5 admission for adults, $3 for high school students and children 12 and under get in free. The full interviews with Bob Fasbender and Jim Auen can be found below.
Interview with Bob Fasbender:
Interview with Jim Auen:
