Almost a year after his son died from being trapped in a grain bin in Glenville, Albert Lean Scott Truesdell is working to take a tragic situation and turn it into a positive one.

With the help of his son’s friends, he is planning the First Memorial Ryan “Pie” Truesdell Softball Tournament for the weekend of Sept. 12 through 14.

“I don’t want his memory to end that he died in a grain bin and that’s the end,” Scott said. “I don’t want his memory to die.”

Ryan Truesdell — known to many as “Pie” — died Aug. 14, 2007, after an incident at the east site of the Glenville Grain Elevator.

It was his last week on the job, which he had taken to earn money for his third year at Rochester Community Technical College, where he was studying physical education and health.

He was a youth known in the community for his athleticism, specifically for being voted to the Big Nine All-Conference Baseball Team during his junior and senior year in high school and for being selected to the Tribune’s All-Area Baseball Team in 2004.

“From my standpoint, it will be the biggest softball tournament that’s going to happen around this area,” Scott said. He expects between 1,500 and 2,000 people to attend.

Events will kick off at 7 p.m. Sept. 12 with a softball game challenge between the Albert Lea City Council and city staff versus the Freeborn County board of commissioners and county staff. A silent auction and food will be set up starting that evening.

There will be an opening ceremony right before, at 6:45 p.m., Scott said.

This will be the first time in decades for the city and county to face-off in a similar manner.

The main softball and volleyball tournaments will kick off at 9 a.m. Sept. 13.

The softball tournament — which is certified by the Amateur Softball Association — will probably have around 25 teams from around the region, Scott said. Already he’s gotten calls about several local teams in addition to a team from Minneapolis and a team from St. Cloud.

The event will be at Snyder Field in Albert Lea, with a three-game guarantee and a two-homerun guarantee. The first-place team will receive a traveling trophy and $300, the second-place team will receive $200 and the third-place team will receive $100.

Registration fees are $75.

Fees to register for the co-ed sand volleyball tournament are $25, with paybacks to be based on the number of team entries. Brackets will follow pool play.

Register by Sept. 10 by calling (507) 318-0932 or (763) 226-1373.

Events will take place rain or shine.

Scott said it is his hope to have the tournament become a nice end for Albert Lea each summer.

“Eddie Cochran begins the summer, and this would end it,” he said. “There’s already talk next year to do a street dance.”

If people are interested in donating to the cause, they can write checks made payable to the Ryan Truesdell Memorial Fund, Americana Bank, 217 S. Newton Ave., Albert Lea MN 56007.