New Zealand Black Sox - Team Canada Tour

[Al's Fastball News]

Received: 7/12/07 9:24:01 AM 
From:  "Larry Lynch" <llynch9(at)rogers.com> 

  
Subject:  New Zealand Black Sox - Team Canada Tour  


 

I apologize for my tardiness on this follow up but I havenot
forgotten the significant role each of you played in the very
successful Ontario tour of the New Zealand Black Sox and Team
Canada’sNational softball team. We have all had a few weeks to
recover but I would beremiss if I did not offer my formal thanks
to each and every one of you whosecontribution showcased Ontario’sfastball
community.

 

To the host organizations in Jarvis, Tavistock, Orillia, Sebringville
and Kitchener, you did a magnificent job ofpreparing your parks,
promoting the games and hosting the best men’ssoftball teams
in the world. I heard nothing but praise from the management
andcoaching staff of both New Zealand and Canada, and I would
ask that you conveythis message to the dozens of volunteers in
your own communities who stepped upto the plate to hit a home
run on your behalf.

 

I would be remiss if I didn’t center out a few ofthose from Kitchener
Fastball Promotions who assisted me in pulling the biggerpicture
of the tour together. Not only did you help me in all aspects
ofpromotion, finances, bbq, luncheon events and the series finale,
but more soyou helped me deal with a very difficult period of
my personal life withyour  friendship, your compassion and your
patience. I will be eternallygrateful to each of you who showed
me the real class of our fastballfraternity.

 

I have always believed it is the little things that set ourvolunteer
personnel apart from the rest . Pete, you did a magnificent job
withthe Black Sox skills event with the 3 area minor teams. The
inaugural editionof Kitchener’snewest community newspapers featured
this event as there lead story, somethingwe are all very proud
of.

 

Ray and Lucille, the Cortina Club was a very gracious hostto
the New Zealand teamluncheon prior to departure for OrilliaIt
is unlikely the Italian community will ever see a thank you response
in theform of a touring national team singing their thanks at
the conclusion of sucha great meal. Please pass on our committees
special thanks for the extra effortand class presentation of
the home cooked Italian dinner.

 

John Thompson as always delivered a class act Diamond Dirt,and
both he and Dave McLelland did a thoroughly professional job
on the Roger’sTV broadcast . Tom Clancy and John MacTavish as
usual a great effort on thescoring and PA.

 

I do not want to embarrass anyone by missing their uniquecontributions,
but I would be remiss if I did not offer my greatest thanks tomy
friends Sue Sherry and Neil Fennell, without whom I would not
have been ableto step up for this tour. Sue has been with my
many fastball adventures sincethe early 1990’s. She has been
a steadfast supporter of my effortsthrough the good times and
bad. Words cannot convey how much I appreciate heras a colleague
and more importantly, a friend . Neil and I have traveled a lotof
miles since the inception of the Perth Shoot-Out a decade and
a half ago. Ihave always respected him for his significant contribution
to the game. Overthe course of the development and planning of
the tour he was my main liaisonwith New Zealandand I found out
what real passion he has for their program and the friendships
theBlack Sox organization has rewarded him with over his career.
I also learned alot living with him for 10 days. His attention
to detail almost drove me overthe edge at times, but I quickly
learned he was also a great sounding board, agreat mentor and
a different person that I thought he was all these years. Hewas
an easy mark for my barbs, but he also gave me the chance to
laugh a lot,at myself and at him. I will be forever grateful
Neil for the part you playedon this tour of duty.  

 

It is rare that a community of volunteers gets to take partin
something that touches the entire softball world. I recently
received aletter from Softball New Zealand that conveys their
sincere thanks for the warmhospitality, the great respect and
the unbridled enthusiasm Ontario displayed to their National
Team.Likewise, Mark Smith and Softball Canada has personally
offered histhanks for the wonderful treatment our National team
received in the testseries events throughout the communities
they attended. Through the efforts of AlDoran and his web site
the world came together for 10 days in June to follow ahistoric
battle of the world’s greatest softball players, you should allbe
proud of your part in showcasing fastball as still one of the
great teamgames in the world. 

 

Get out to the ball parks in your own communities, it allstarts
with the grass roots where dreams of greatness turn singles into
triples.

 

Sincerely,

 

Larry Lynch

 

 

 

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