Softball fits baseball player like a glove
Former Chisox prospect now catcher in Saskatoon
Darren Zary, The StarPhoenix
Published: Friday, July 27, 2007It’s not like Craig Horswell wasn’t good at baseball.
He was a member of Canada’s national team. With a rifle for an arm, he was identified by the Chicago White Sox as a Major League prospect. Yet, Horswell made the switch to the other side, giving up baseball for softball in 1999.
“Baseball was dead in Prince George,” says Horswell, a native of B.C.
“I was contemplating an offer from the Seattle Mariners when I decided to stay with the national team. After the disappointment of that season, I decided I had had enough of baseball and finished my schooling at UBC (University of British Columbia).
“I really like fast pitch and I enjoy catching. Defence is definitely my strong suit.”
“There’s no better defensive catcher on the planet,” says Saskatoon’s Keith Mackintosh, a member of Canada’s national team. “He’s got an unreal arm. And he has the intangibles, too. He’s played in pressure situations. He calls a great game.
“Anybody I know who has played with him and thrown to him just loves throwing to him. He’s so smooth.”
While Horswell’s baseball days are behind him, he has fond memories.
“I went to a world championship and Olympic qualifier. I have played with and against many Major League players and was able to get through school because of the help of baseball.”
Now softball is on his mind. Horswell is a member of the Saskatoon Aspen Interiors — formerly the Aspen Black Sox. They play the Saskatoon Diamondbacks in a best-of-five provincial senior A men’s final today and Saturday at Gordie Howe Park. Both teams advance to nationals Aug. 26 to Sept. 2 in St. John’s, N.F.
“I can compare this squad to the Calgary team I played for that came third in the ISC world tournament,” says Horswell, a school teacher by profession. “If our throwers stay healthy and we put things together at the right time, we will go far in both the ISCs and nationals.”
The Aspen Interiors are the two-time defending provincial champs.
“This won’t be a friendly series as we are looking for some payback from early June when the Diamondbacks defeated us 2-1 to knock us out of the Ducks (Unlimited) tourney (at Melfort),” says Aspen Interiors manager Jason Kurylyk. “It was a good game. The (potential) tying run was thrown out at home plate to end the game. The loss is still in the back of our heads and we are hungry.
“We won’t be giving our provincial title up without one hell of a fight.”
EXTRA INNINGS: Aspens pitcher Trevor Ethier had his collar-bone broken last month by a line drive. “But the warrior Trevor is, (he) was back in the circle throwing 17 days after it happened,” said Kurylyk . . . Aspen OF/catcher Brad Bibby is out indefinitely with a hamstring injury.