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From Diamond Dirt Editor, John Thompson:

Click here to view Issue Number 7 for the Sr. Canadians (PDF)

Other “Diamond Dirt” news at Fastpitchwest.

Text version of this issue after the jump.

FANTASTIC FASTBALL

There’s never, never, ever bad fastball, but

Friday’s elite doubleheader provided a huge dose of good and a small taste of ugly. The fans – and there were hundreds – loved it all!

GOOD – The opener was a nail-biter as hits and extra bases were a rarity, and runs were non-existent in the first eight innings of Kitchener Rivershark Twins match-up with rival Jarvis Gamblers. Twins prevailed 2-1 in 9 innings.

UGLY – In contrast, the night-cap featured a honey-wagon-load of liberally provided and easily scored runs. After two complete innings St. Thomas Centennials recovered from a pair of early deficits (3-0 and 5-2) to lead 6-5 over Brookfield Elks. Final score – Centennials 9, Elks 6. Twins and Centennials are guaranteed spots in Sunday’s “final four”.
Softball Canada 2009 Senior Men’s Awards

Ryan Wolfe, Kitchener – Top Batter (.500); Mike Grant, Brookfield – MVP (.500); Sean Whitten, St. Thomas – Top Pitcher (0.47 ERA)

FANTASTIC FASTBALL

There’s never, never, ever bad fastball, but

Friday’s elite doubleheader provided a huge dose of good and a small taste of ugly. The fans – and there were hundreds – loved it all!

GOOD – The opener was a nail-biter as hits and extra bases were a rarity, and runs were non-existent in the first eight innings of Kitchener Rivershark Twins match-up with rival Jarvis Gamblers. Twins prevailed 2-1 in 9 innings.

UGLY – In contrast, the night-cap featured a honey-wagon-load of liberally provided and easily scored runs. After two complete innings St. Thomas Centennials recovered from a pair of early deficits (3-0 and 5-2) to lead 6-5 over Brookfield Elks. Final score – Centennials 9, Elks 6. Twins and Centennials are guaranteed spots in Sunday’s “final four”.
Softball Canada 2009 Senior Men’s Awards

Ryan Wolfe, Kitchener – Top Batter (.500); Mike Grant, Brookfield – MVP (.500); Sean Whitten, St. Thomas – Top Pitcher (0.47 ERA)

FUTURE FASTBALL FINALIZED

Fans who are enjoying this year’s Softball Canada Sr. Men’s Nationals can mark their calendars for more great action in the next two years.

2010 – The 7th annual Monkton World Invitational will be held in early July 2010 with the top Sr. Men’s teams in North America with international players throughout the rosters. www.monktonfastball.com

The 64th annual International Softball Congress

Tournament will be held August 14-21 for the very first time in Midland MI, at Emerson Park and Redcoats Complex.

Impressive website – www.midland2010isc.com

Hotel brochures – see Tim behind home plate.

The Softball Canada Sr. Men’s Nationals will be hosted by Charlottetown, PEI Aug. 29-Sept. 5.

2011 – The 65th Annual ISC World Tournament will be hosted for the 4th time in Kitchener ON at the Peter Hallman Ball Yard in August, 2011.

BASEBALL QUOTES

Immortal words of Willie Stargell, “Trying to hit Sandy Koufax was like trying to drink coffee with a fork.”
“It ain’t nothin’ till I call it.” Bill Klem, umpire

ROUND ROBIN PITCHING LEADERS

(Minimum 15 innings pitched)

NAME/TEAM IP W L ER H K W ERA

Sean Whitten, St. Thomas 17.3 2 0 1 8 27 8 0.47

Ward Gosse, Charlotte 15.0 1 0 4 10 20 5 1.87

Derek Mayson, Vancouv 22.7 2 2 7 13 22 5 2.16

Sean Cleary, St. John’s 16.7 1 2 6 15 27 9 2.52

Darrell Tilley, St. John’s 18.3 1 2 8 12 33 10 3.05

Frank Cox, Charlotte 19.7 1 3 9 21 37 5 3.20

Cory Avery, Brookfield 19.3 2 0 11 28 19 5 3.98

Brian Urquhart, Brookfield 18.0 2 2 11 15 11 10 4.28

Donnelly Archibald, GBay 19.0 0 3 16 26 17 19 5.89

Paul Koert, Jarvis 19.3 2 1 17 30 31 6 6.16

MORE GREAT FASTBALL IN 2009

The 2009 Ontario Challenge Cup ISC II Qualifier will be played at the Packham Road Park in Stratford on weekend of September 18-20. Sixteen teams representing a dozen men’s leagues from across southern Ontario will be competing for a berth in the ISC II Tournament of Champions in August 2010 in Midland, MI.
Action commences on Friday night with games at 7 pm & 9 pm. The championship game is slated for Sunday at 1 pm with the “if” game to follow.

Stratford will also host next year’s Softball Canada Midget Boys Nationals Aug. 1-8, 2010.

BASEBALL QUOTES

“I managed a team that was so bad we considered a 2-0 count on the batter a rally.”

Rich Donnelly, manager

“Baseball hasn’t forgotten me. I go to a lot of old-timers games and I haven’t lost a thing. I sit in the bullpen and let people throw things at me. Just like old times.”
Bob Uecker, MLB player

“What are we at the park for except to win? I’d trip my mother. I’d help her up, brush her off, tell her I’m sorry. But mother don’t make it to third.”

Leo Durocher, MLB Manager

“Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing.”

Warren Spahn

“A hot dog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz.”

Humphrey Bogart.
“When they start the game, they don’t yell, “Work ball.” They say, “Play ball.” Willie Stargell

SOFTBALL CANADA 2009 SR. MEN’S ALL-STARS

Front (l-r) Ryan Wolfe, OF Kitchener; Ryan Thompson, 3B Jarvis; Mark Coleman, OF St. Thomas; Ward Gosse, P Charlottetown; Back – Darrell Joy, SS Kitchener; John J. McCarthy, 2B Glace Bay; Brad Ezekiel, OF St. John’s; Bryan Clarke, 1B St. John’s; Kelly Wenstrom, C Charlottetown.

Missing – Derek Mayson, UT Vancouver.

This entry was posted on Saturday, September 5th, 2009 at 9:19 am and is filed under Canada, Tournaments. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.