Given the lack of televised sports lately, no NHL, NFL and NBA games, the lull in world soccer since the Cup ended (unfolding as it should have) and the All-Star MLB hiatus, I sincerely hope sports fans around here have been wending their way to local parks, where live baseball has been on display.
Local teams have been out competing, at Butler and Bilesky parks, and that is scheduled to continue through the weekend.
This weekend the Northwest Honkers come to town to face the Orioles - who are just two weeks away from hosting the provincial championships at Butler.
If you have any affection for baseball and are not committed to the drive/walk to the Little League 9-10 tournament at Bilesky, consider hitting Butler. Although most of the competitors are not possessed of the sheer strength and speed of the players on big league teams, they generally hustle more and play a more fundamentally sound game than we see all too often on TV.
That holds true when comparing the officials for those games, as well.
On top of that, the Orioles are representatives of us - they are our neighbours and friends or the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of our neighbours and friends - and they truly appreciate whatever support we can muster for them.
The weather should cool a little over the next couple of days, and there should not be enough rain to stifle the schedule - we hope - so an afternoon come early evening at the pretty little park by the river should be, as the kids once said, “sweet.”
It won’t hurt to ask, either, whether you are at the games this weekend or not, if any help is needed for the Orioles to host the province two weekends from now.
“The Best Sports Town in B.C.,” earned that moniker not just by producing a myriad of outstanding athletes and coaches. The, “Home of Champions,” has also gained reknown as a top quality host to competitions from local and regional to provincial and national.
That takes volunteers, and although we have always had those the numbers taking the time to participate in some events seems to be diminishing (check out the Smoke Eaters volunteer roster, for example). It’s as good a time as any to reverse that trend.
See you at the park.