Thunder Bay Gearing up for Baseball Canada Cup

Friday, June 4, 2004

With the game of baseball having such deep roots and tradition, it is only fitting this summer's Baseball Canada Cup be held in a city offering rich sporting history in Canada.

The championship, held annually since 1989 and taking place Aug. 19-22 in Thunder Bay, Ont., showcases the top amateur baseball talent Canada has to offer. Each province sends a team to the event in hopes of returning home with the prestigious honor of being crowned the best in the country.

Thunder Bay returns to the forefront after staging such events in the past as the Canada Summer Games in 1981, the World Nordic Games in 1995 and Baseball Canada's 3-Nations Cup in 2000 and 2002 as part of the national junior team's preparation for the World Junior AAA Championship.

"Our ambitions are high," says Warren Philp, executive director of the Thunder Bay International Baseball Association, which is spearheading the organization of this summer's Baseball Canada Cup. "I'm confident we're going to pass the test of bringing more baseball to Thunder Bay."

The Baseball Canada Cup gathers players aged 16-17 together to compete not only for hometown praise but also for college or university scholarships and national team consideration.

Baseball Canada's high performance committee monitors the annual tournament in hopes of forming the next year's national junior team, as players are chosen for a training camp and are scouted for the national junior team that competes at the World Junior AAA Championship.

Scouts from various professional teams also attend the event each year along with college and university coaches and recruiters, looking for that pitcher with the blazing fastball, the outfielder with the superb hitting skills or the infielder with the soft hands and quick feet.

Various players have been able to use the Baseball Canada Cup as a springboard to more promising ventures. Corey Koskie (Manitoba, 1991), Eric Gagne (Quebec, 1993-94) and Ryan Dempster (B.C., 1994) have all escalated into the majors while Adam Loewen (B.C., 2000) hopes to follow in their footsteps after being selected fourth overall by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2002 June amateur draft, becoming the highest-drafted Canadian ever.

"(The Cup) makes up the 'who's who?' of Canadian baseball," Philp says, adding prominent alumni like Gagne have been very gracious in offering promotional assistance for this summer's event.

The players are not the only ones under scrutiny, as Baseball Canada also scouts coaches for possible national junior and senior team selections while also evaluating the umpires officiating the championship event.

The tournament consists of 10 teams - one from each province - with each club having 18 players, three coaches and one chef de mission. Two pools of five teams each compete in round-robin play before a crossover format determines the gold- and bronze-medal game opponents.

This year's event will be played at both Port Arthur Stadium and Central Avenue Diamond, venues Philp says "rival any others in Canada" for the tournament. Teams will play according to professional field regulations of 90-feet basepaths and a distance of 60 feet, six inches between home plate and the pitcher's rubber. Port Arthur Stadium, the principal field of competition, will hold upwards of 4,000 people while Central Avenue Diamond will seat about 800 fans plus abundant lawn space for passers-by and fans lounging in lawn chairs.

With conditions on the field set, teams and visitors alike can also feel comfortable knowing accommodations are also in place.

Philp says an organizing board of 16 members has been working earnestly to prepare for the championship, adding he hopes as many as 200 volunteers will be on hand to ensure the success of the Baseball Canada Cup.

Lakehead University will offer meal plans for all teams while concession and souvenir stands will be available at the fields. Teams will be staying at Lakehead University's Bartley Residence while both the Days Inn and Valhalla Inn are sponsoring the event and are open to visiting fans and families during the championship event.

Logistics such as first aid are also in place, as Dr. Stewart Kennedy, who served as director of medical services at the 1995 World Nordic Games, will hold the same duties at the Baseball Canada Cup. Certified personal and athletic trainer Kevin Ennis will also volunteer his services to players suffering minor injuries during play. Ennis has previously worked with some of the top orthopedic surgeons in the southeastern United States at the Joyner Sports Medicine Institute.

Tickets for the Baseball Canada Cup are now available and can be obtained by visiting the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium Box Office. Tournament passes sell for $20 while individual tickets are $7 (adults) and $5 (students, seniors, children 5 and over). Kids under five years of age receive free admission. For more information, please contact info@tbaybaseball.com or visit www.tbaybaseball.com.

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