OTTAWA- Canada’s 150 birthday celebration may be getting all the headlines but there’s another special anniversary happening for a group Toronto-based ballplayers.
Established in 1967, the Japanese Canadian Baseball League is celebrating 50 years of operation with an official celebration set for September 3rd at the Japanese Canadian Culture Centre in North York.
The 12-team league hosts weekly games with teams and players convening to participate in one of Japan’s most popular sports.
“What makes it special is the fact that there is this cultural binding element, “ said Jesse Cranin, a participant in the league and organizer for September’s celebration. “It brings together a bunch of guys with a lot of cultural undertones in terms of Japanese culture, language and tradition. It’s really a community of its own."
The JCBL features a list of over 4,000 current players and alumni including an All-Star team assembled in 2015 that travelled to Thunder Bay, Ontario, site of September’s WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup that both Canada and Japan will participate in.
To find out more information about the JCBL 50th anniversary celebration including ticketing and sponsorship information, please visit their website at jcbl.ca.
