The Hawaii State AJA Baseball Association Championship Tournament has only been canceled a handful of times since the leagues were formed in 1930 — during World War II in the 1940s and the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

Following two missed years in 2020 and 2021, teams, fans and officials are excited for the 85th annual AJA Baseball Tournament’s return this weekend on the Valley Isle. Games are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Maehara Stadium in Wailuku.

“Whether you’re in high school or now you’re an adult, it’s nice to have good competition. We have very good competition this year, but at the same time, it’s about camaraderie, honor and respect, the culture and just playing baseball,” Dean Yamashita, president of the Maui AJA Baseball League, said Wednesday. “We use baseball as a tool to just enjoy the game and be competitive.”

Yamashita became president of Maui’s league about six years ago, saying that he’s trying to “carry the baton” of the event’s historical traditions and culture.

AJA Baseball teams statewide have been competing in their respective leagues for over a century, providing opportunities for the young and old to compete with each other.

Each county has traditionally taken turns hosting the championship, with Oahu, Kauai and then Hawaii island slated to host the following years, respectively, before circling back to Maui.

The single-elimination tournament begins Saturday at 10 a.m. with a matchup between Maui and defending state champion Oahu, which will be competing for a sixth consecutive championship.

Kauai vs. Big Island follows at 1:30 p.m. There will be opening ceremonies between games.

On Sunday, the consolation championship game is at 9 a.m., with the championship game scheduled for 11:30 a.m.

Maui AJA will be represented by Wailuku, which beat out Asahi, Daimyo, Happy Hour and Maui A’s during the league season.

The other league representatives are the Makaweli Indians (Kauai), Waialae (Oahu) and Waiakea Pirates (Hawaii).

Admission is free to the public, with an optional donation for a Hawaii AJA Baseball Association Championship Tournament booklet.

“It’s going to be a nice weekend. People on Maui, they love baseball. Especially when you have the outer islands coming over to compete, it doesn’t matter what level, the baseball community and people on Maui really enjoy the game,” Yamashita said. “It’s always nice to have the fans to come out and support.”

* Dakota Grossman is at dgrossman@mauinews.com.