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Hartley Miller's Slap Shots - September 9th Edition

By Hartley Miller

When Prince George hosts the 2006 Canadian Senior Men’s Fastball Championship, let's hope Quebec’s EASTMAIN FIREBALLS do not travel west unless they improve dramatically. 

The Fireballs' performance at the 2005 National Championship in St. Thomas, Ontario was pitiful. 

The Fireballs were outscored 81-4, finished with an 0-8 record, and were outclassed in every game, losing 8-1, 11-0, 13-0, 14-1, 8-0, 8-1, 7-1, and 12-0 (to PG). Seven of the eight games ended in mercies, after five innings. It was such a farce, that some teams (once the game was out of reach) instructed their players to hit nothing more than a single, and to remain at first, if a hit was more than one base. 

So, this leaves an obvious question; how did they qualify? It came down to provincial representation. The Fireballs were the only team from Quebec interested in attending and were accepted based on being a representative from that province. 

This has raised a credibility issue. When one thinks of a Canadian Championship, one believes that only elite teams throughout the country will attend. It diminishes the status of the tournament when a house league (and that is stretching it in this case) team shows up. Some of the ramifications include:
 
1. Since it’s not a full round robin (this year you played 8 of 12 other teams), it creates a scheduling advantage. What about the four teams that didn’t pad their stats with the easy win? 

2. The other teams in the tournament don’t want to play them, except to improve their record, because it can reduce their level of play. 

3. None of the spectators want to see this caliber of ball. 

4. Many fans at the tournament were making jokes about the situation, which scars the reputation of the Nationals that so many have worked so hard for.

Every tournament and every league has top teams, middle teams, lower teams, and the bottom feeders. But even those in last place should be able to put somewhat of a competitive effort on the field. Alberta, for example, was also 0-8 in St. Thomas, but half of its losses were by two runs or less, and in its last game, they barely dropped a 4-3 decision to the Vancouver Grey Sox, who finished in the top six. 

In the past, I have stated the importance of competition. Each team in a league or tournament should feel that although they may not win, they can at least gain respect from the opposition, and on any given day have a legitimate chance to win.
 
If teams do not have a chance to compete, then morale drops, and players lose interest. For instance, JV Logging, in PG Mixed 6 & 4 Slo-Pitch, entered the league as a new team and lost one game early this year 71-5. Not surprisingly, by the end of the season, the team had trouble fielding players, and consequently had to forfeit games, now and then. 

This lack of competitiveness is less significant at a local level, but when a team enters a Canadian Championship, it’s completely unacceptable, even if they are the only team from that province or territory that expresses an interest to participate. A certain criteria, other than location, needs to be clearly outlined. 

Prince George has never hosted a Canadian Fastball Tournament like we are getting in 2006. Naturally, this has created lots of enthusiasm, and excitement. However, Softball Canada officials, and local organizers, need to remember it’s “A” ball, and that doesn’t stand for "Anybody" can play. 

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* Ex major league manager Gene Mauch recently died at age 79. Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster and former catcher Bob Uecker played for Mauch in 1966 and '67 with the Philadelphia Phillies.
"Gene Mauch was my favorite manager," Uecker said. "He'd say to me, 'Grab a bat and stop this rally.'"


* When managing the Montreal Expos, Mauch once rushed onto the field to dispute an umpire's call. He yelled out, "The first guy who lays a finger on this blind old man is fined 50 bucks!"

* The Seattle Mariners have used seven different catchers this year, which, of course, doesn't mean Squat.

* To celebrate Dan Marino's entry into the Football Hall of Fame, the Miami Herald tracked down each of the 54 players who had caught at least one touchdown pass from the Miami Dolphins quarterback.
According to The Herald's Jason Cole: "(It) included calls to five U.S. Marshals offices, four U.S. Attorneys, three personal attorneys, two federal prisons and one state pen. And that was just to find Mark Ingram."


And, how is your week?

--Hartley Miller is the Sports Director for radio stations 94X and the Wolf@97FM. He also writes for the PG Free Press.


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