“I knew there might be a team that would be looking for a catcher and I could slide in with them,” the 26-year-old registered respiratory therapist from Appin said. “I thought, if anything, it would be a team ranked in the 20-30 range.
“I had no idea it would be the best team in the world that would pick me up. I just stumbled into it.”
The Six Nations Hill United Chiefs lost last year’s final in extra innings. They didn’t require much help, but they needed a replacement for their backup catcher, who was tied to a brand new job.
Shields was there for insurance.
“It was 100% OK with me,” he said. “I went there for the experience and I got one.”
In the 10th inning of one of the most riveting, memorable and scoreless fastpitch finals, Shields was sent in by manager and Mitchell native Doug Eidt to pinch-run at second base against the New York Gremlins.
“We had one kid on our team who was pretty fast but he had a (family) wedding to go to and had to go home and miss the championship game (Saturday night),” he said. “I knew I might be a little faster than the guy who got the double (Cal Miller) and before they even asked me, I had my helmet on and was standing right at the door.”
As he moved up to third on a bounceout to second, Alvinston manager Paul (Chico) McCart couldn’t do much more than shake his head.
He was the one who granted permission for the Chiefs to pick up his catcher. He has also doubled for years as a Gremlins’ coach.
A couple of days later, he still doesn’t believe unlikely hero Shields beat the bang-bang play at the plate on Jeff Ellsworth’s Worlds-winning sacrifice fly.
“Shieldsy will tell you he was safe,” the colourful McCart said, “but he was out. There’s no doubt about it. We saw the video. I’m happy for him, but it’s a tough way to lose.”
It was unbelievably close, the runner admits.
“I thought it (the fly ball) was a little bit deeper than it was,” Shields said. “I knew I had to go hard but I never knew it was going to be that tight. When the ball got there, I got lucky. He (the Gremlins’ catcher) caught it on the wrong side of his body and left me a little corner of the plate to hit before he got me.”
While New York argued the call, Shields and the Chiefs launched a glorious celebration. He grew up hearing stories of what it was like to be in such a big spot.
“Ryan Wolfe (world champion fastpitch centre-fielder from Melbourne) was my gym teacher in high school (at Glencoe),” Shields said. “He’s probably my biggest influence fastball-wise. It starts right there. When we were in the under-19 division, we would run over to watch Wolfie and he would be facing a pitcher like Darren Zack. You’re pretty much hooked after seeing stuff like that.”
Shields had a front-row seat for Chiefs ace pitcher Adam Folkard’s breathtaking week. The Aussie reeled off an ISC record 18? innings of no-hit ball and pitched all 10 innings in the final.
He barely gave up a baserunner, let alone a run.
“We just witnessed the best pitching performance ever at a tournament,” he said. “He’s just untouchable and I’ve never seen anything like it. In the final, we were just trying to pick him up. He sat down after every inning. I’m not sure how many more he could’ve gone — he was toast.”
Shields expects to be back to defend his piece of the title next year, even if it’s not with Hill United.
“I don’t know what Hill’s plan are for me but I know we have a real good, young core in Alvinston,” he said. “I’d love to see them develop. For two or three years, I was the youngest on the team. Now, I’m one of the vets.”
In a week, he will reunite with McCart for the Softball Canada senior men’s national fastpitch championships. Both will represent the Prince Edward Island team in Stratford Aug. 27-Sept. 1.
The first two years Harvey Sterkel pitched in Aurora against major competion he did not give up a HIT. Top that if you can.