OTTAWA-Over the weekend, Baseball Canada held its 11th Annual National Teams Awards Banquet and Fundraiser at the Renaissance Downtown Hotel in Toronto. Once again, the evening did not disappoint as many of Baseball Canada’s distinguished alumni, corporate partners and friends assembled for an unforgettable evening.
The event was not short on high profile Canadian big-leaguers as Justin Morneau, Ryan Dempster, Russell Martin and John Axford attended the event to celebrate Canadian baseball.
Dempster was honoured during the awards portion of the evening as he became the 5th member of Baseball Canada’s Wall of Excellence, sponsored by RBC Wealth Management, joining Larry Walker, Morneau, Joey Votto and Ernie Whitt.
Dempster, the newest member of the Boston Red Sox, has had a splendid 15-year career to this point which has included two All-Star game appearances (2000, 2008) and the Tip O’Neill Award in 2000. In 2008 he recorded a career-high 17 wins and was also successful as a closer recording seasons of 33,24 and 28 saves from 2005-2007. Very popular with teammates, media and fans, Dempster has done wonderful work through his charitable foundation and Baseball Canada has been a huge benefactor of his kindness through his Fantasy Auction packages every year.
Other award winners included:
Scott Diamond of the Minnesota Twins was the recipient of a Special Recognition Award presented by RBC Wealth Management. Diamond established himself as a legitimate big-league starter in 2012 as he led the Twins with 12 wins and only walked 31 in 173 innings pitched.
Phillippe Aumont of the Philadelphia Phillies took home the Alumni Award presented by the LJ Pearson Foundation. Aumont made his MLB debut in 2012 as a 23 year-old and managed 2 saves and 14 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings of work. The former Junior National Team MVP will represent Canada at the World Baseball Classic in March.
Jim Henderson realized his dream of playing Major League Baseball in July after spending 10 seasons in the minor leagues. The tall right-hander was presented with a Special Achievement Award by the Major League Baseball Players Association after pitching in 36 games with the Brewers and struck out 45 in 30 2/3 innings, while recording 3 saves.
Andrew Albers was given the Stubby Clapp Award, presented by Mizuno Canada for his performance as a member of the successful World Baseball Classic Qualifier club. The winning pitcher in Canada’s 2-1 triumph over the United States in the gold medal game of the 2011 Pan Am Games, Albers recorded the win over Germany as Canada clinched a spot in the World Baseball Classic last September.
Jimmy Van Ostrand, a staple on various National Team’s since 2007, took home the Senior National Team MVP after a dominant performance at the WBC Qualifier in Germany. Van Ostrand clubbed four home runs in three tournament games to go along with 10 RBI. Van Ostrand will also make the trek to Phoenix in March to play for Canada in the WBC.
The Junior National Team MVP, presented by ESPN Wide World of Sports went to Jesse Hodges. Hodges was a leader on the Canadian team that won the silver medal at the IBAF 18U World Championship in Korea. Hodges belted a game tying home run in the bottom of the ninth in a 6-5 extra innings win over Japan where he also scored the winning run. His .484 batting average caught the eyes of the Chicago Cubs who signed the Victoria, BC native to a pro contract during the tournament.
The evening also included check presentations from the Toronto Blue Jays and RBC Wealth Management to Baseball Canada at a value of $25,000 and $15,000 respectively.
“I can’t say enough about the support we’ve received from our sponsors,” explained Baseball Canada President Ray Carter. “They continuously show a vested interest in promoting the sport in Canada, both at the grassroots level and at the elite level."
Baseball Canada would like to thank everybody who made the 11th Annual National Teams Awards Banquet and Fundraiser a night to remember.
See you in January 2014!
