When the umpire yells “play ball!” at 11:00am this Friday, six days of provincial Little League baseball championship competition begins in Timmins.
Tournament director Dan Ouellet says it’s the first time the junior division made up of 13- and 14-year-old players has its provincial tournament in Timmins.
Joining teams from Kingston, Thunder Bay, Carleton-Russell, Oakville and East Nepean will be the hometown Timmins Montanas Lynx.
“They’ve been practicing now for over a month and playing some exhibition games against Rouyn-Noranda,” Ouellet tells My Timmins Now Dot Com, “and it looks like the team’s ready to go.”
The championship game in the double elimination affair is set for next Wednesday at 10:00am. All action is at the ballpark between Thériault and Timmins high schools. The eventual victor will be Alberta-bound for the national tourney, the following week in Lethbridge.
Ouellet says corporate donors are helping pay the expenses, as is $12,500 from the municipal accommodation tax.
“We did receive some MAT tax funding from the TEDC and the city, so it definitely helps with organizing these tournaments of this stature. Our expenses can get quite high.”
Here’s a link to the schedule. Listen to our full interview with Dan Ouellet below.
