It started as a six-team tournament in 1987. All players came from California and were divided into teams by the area codes which their homes fell under. Today, the Area Code Games feature some of the top prep baseball players from all over the country and a "Who's Nomar Garciaparra played in the Area Code Games prior to his senior year at St. John Bosco High in Bellflower, Calif.

Who's guest list of college and pro scouts. It's the way founder Bob Williams always envisioned it to be.

"I saw the success the Nike summer camps (for basketball) had and I wanted to try to do the same for baseball," says Williams, whose tournament will run from Aug. 5-12 at Blair Field, on the campus of Cal State University (Long Beach, Calif.). "It's a stepping stone and a benefit to these players to be competing in the same place."

	Garciaparra played in the area code games.

With the likes of Major League stars Nomar Garciaparra, Jim Edmonds, Jason and Jeremy Giambi and Jermaine Dye as Area Code alumni, it's easy to see why this gathering is a scout's dream.

Actually, for some scouts, it goes beyond just watching from the stands. For teams that are actively involved, like the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, Anaheim Angels, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants, the Games provide an opportunity to see the top prep players on the field, off the field and in the dugout. Scouts from those clubs work as coaches for Area Code Games teams.

"The major league scouts get to see how these players react in the dugout, how they work with other players and how they respond to situations," says Williams.

Most times, the scouts are correct in their judgment. Take, for example, this year's MLB June Amateur Draft. Of the top 40 players chosen, 25 had played in the Area Code Games at one time or another. And in doing so, they all had to use wooden bats. According to today's hitters, getting to swing some lumber is an exciting opportunity. But according to the pitchers, the advantage goes to the mound.

"They're good hitters, but it's so much harder for them with wood bats," says Deer Valley High (Calif.) senior-to-be Daniel Denham, who led his school's baseball team this past spring with a 7-3 record and a 1.28 ERA. Denham will be the starting pitcher for the Northern California squad. "I want to make 'em show they can swing those things."

But no matter who shines and who whiffs, simply having the chance to play in this national showcase is an honor in itself. There will be 260 high school players participating this year, and each one was hand selected by a major league scout. The process began with the scouts looking at more than 1,500 players. Eventually, the list was weeded down to 260 to fill the 10 teams playing this year.

"We don't want anybody left out," claims Williams. "If you are a player in America with ability, we want you to play here. It doesn't matter what walk of life you come from.

"I once pulled a kid out of a detention home in Los Angeles," says Williams. "He had the talent and it may have been his only way out."

Getting out to play against the nation's best scholastic ball players is one thing, but Williams has loftier goals for the Area Code Games. He needs to find what he considers the top 18 players at these Games in order to field an All-Star squad that will host the Japanese national team in a series of 10 games, starting Aug. 28.

"This has always been a bridge for our Area Code American team," adds Williams. "I have to find the best 18 and go to war with them. I need kids who are ready to play right now."