Page 7 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 9

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Senior Baseball Team Off to a Good Start

By Terry Tinkess for a young person’s interest as well.
According to Flanigan, if you can manage
n the movie Field of Dreams, Shoeless to get their interest, you have a good
IJoe Jackson tells Kevin Costner’s chance of hanging on to them.
character, farmer Ray Kinsella, that if “I think what happens with kids is that

he turns his corn field into a baseball if they are given a chance to play baseball,
diamond, a bunch of long-dead ghost they really enjoy it, but a lot of the time
baseball greats will come to play there. what happens is that parents put their kids
In Cornwall, if you were a player who in soccer or summer hockey, thinking that
had outgrown Little League, you had a they will get more exercise, but the kids

ghost of a chance of finding a place to that do play, they really enjoy it.
play. “It’s just a matter of getting them into it.”
This year that changed, thanks to John While getting a team formed and onto
Flanigan and a lot of interested senior- the field is an accomplishment, according

aged players. to Flanigan it is just the first step.

“There was a league in Ottawa,” says “Because I had 50 players contact
Flanigan, “and we thought, why not put me, there were obviously a lot who were
a team in it?” disappointed in not making the team,”

That’s how the 2013 version of the Athletics pitcher had a good move to first but not close enough to pick- says Flanigan. “I’m hoping that it could
off Matt Jennak, Photo by Terry Tinkess
Cornwall River Rats, a team in the evolve into a town league where we could
National Capital Baseball league came to fi rst game in franchise history was a up. Cornwall applied for tier two, based have four teams of our own.
be. homerun,” chuckles Flanigan. You can’t on what their lineup was. “We probably We would still have a team in the
You might think that with no existing start any better than that! The player who could have started at tier one, but they Ottawa league, but for the guys that don’t

local league it might be difficult to hit the home run? Matt Jennack, a catcher like you to start down and work your way make that team, or have as much playing

find players willing to play half their from Massena, New York. up,” says Flanigan. “Being it’s our first time on that team as they would like, they
season at least a half-hour’s drive away, “We tied our first game 2-2 and won year in the league, we’re in tier two.” would still have a league here in town to

but Flanigan says he had no problem our second game 2-1, so we obviously There is definitely motivation to do well play in.”
recruiting players have good pitching,” says Flanigan. “We There are nine teams in tier two, and they Another option would be to form a
“There was a lot of interest,” says haven’t had a lot of hitting.” play a 24 game regular schedule. The top second team to play in the Ottawa league,
Flanigan. “I had at least 50 guys contact Pitching for the River Rats are Jay team will move up to tier one next year one tier down from the current group.
me by phone or email.” At this age level, Flanigan and Dylan Casselman (both while the bottom team will move down “It just takes someone with the time and
it is important to have more than enough pitched for the Cornwall Black Sox when to tier three. the interest to get it organized and get it
players looking to play. they went to the Little League World Many adults with an interest in baseball going,” says Flanigan.
“Everybody either has a full-time job Series), as well as develop it as a result of their kids being At the time of this writing, the River
or a part-time job for the summer,” says Tyler St. Denis and Tanner Casselman. involved, but for John Flanigan, it has Rats have played only three games,
Flanigan. “We’re allowed to put 25 guys It isn’t all about the guys either. Jenna been a life-long interest. “I’ve played winning two and tying one, the weather
on the roster but I only take twelve to a Flanigan, John’s daughter who also plays ball since I was eight or nine years old. seemingly the only thing they couldn’t
game. I basically have 12 or 13 regulars for the Canadian National Women’s Baseball has always been my sport.” master. There is still lots of time left in
and I draw from the spare list when I need Baseball Team, is a member of the River Interest in baseball across Canada has the season, however to find a way into

them.” Rats as well. been on the downturn in recent years that top-spot that would allow them to
The team got of to a very good start The NCBL is a competitive league. for a number of reasons. The loss of the move into tier one next season.

in their first game, which came against There are four tiers. Normally a team Montreal Expos played a part, but there As all good teams understand, you

Winchester. “The very first pitch in the would start at tier four and work its way are also so many other sports competing have to show you can go the distance.
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