Archive for July, 2010

Aussie Steelers celebrate their anniversary as World Champions

Monday, July 26th, 2010

Cap tip, Al Doran:

File this one under “How time flies”

27 July 2010

Today marks the anniversary of the Australian Open Men’s fastpitch Softball team – the Aussie Steelers – being crowned the World Champions at the XII ISF Men’s World Championships in Saskatoon, Canada. Sixteen countries took part in the Championship and the Steelers finished the round robin play with a 6-1 win-loss record, their only loss coming against host nation Canada in an extra-innings thriller. It was possibly this game which sparked something within as the team came into their own during the playoffs.

As we all reminisce and relive that momentous occasion, read the thoughts of those who were there in World Champions – one year on, watch the video highlights from the gold medal game and view the photo gallery.

Ballparkradio at Erie Tournament – July 31 – August 1

Monday, July 26th, 2010

It has been a busy summer for Ballparkradio’s Kyle Smith. This coming weekend, July 31-August 1, he’ll take the show on the road once again, to Erie Pennsylvania, to broadcast the Erie Tournament on live streaming audio to a worldwide audience. It marks the third tournament in little more than a month, following trips to Kitchener for the Legends Fastball Classic, and Tavistock tournament a couple of weeks ago.

Kyle will be joined in the booth by Bill Hillhouse and Derek Pukash — at least when their team, the NY Gremlins, isn’t playing. Hillhouse will wear a third hat as well, serving as the tournament director.

Just for good measure, on his “off” weekend in July, Kyle helped spearhead a cancer-fighting fund raiser.


Ballparkradio’s lead play-by-play man, Kyle Smith, will be in Erie PA on July 31-August 1, 2010 to bring you live streaming broadcasts from the Erie Tournament.

The Erie Tournament will feature a veritable who’s who of top teams in the fastball world, as they head down the stretch to the ISC World Tournament in Midland Michigan August 13-21, including:

# 1 Jarvis Travelers
# 2 Kitchener Rivershark Twins
# 3 Chicago/NY
# 4 NY Gremlins
# 6 Midland Explorers
# 8 Albaugh IA

[Saving you a trip to find the rankings, only the # 5 California A’s and # 7 Bar of Appleton are missing from this group]

For more details, see our earlier post here and more information at Al’s Fastball.

Listeners can tune in to the broadcasts at the Ballparkradio website, free of charge. (click logo below)

Keep an eye out for the soon-to-be released schedule of broadcasts. The schedule of Games is as follows:

Saturday, 31 July

9am Blue Lake vs NY Gremlins Chicago NY vs. All stars
11am Midland vs NY Gremlins Chicaco NY vs. Albaugh
1pm Kitchener vs. All Stars Midland vs. Jarvis

4pm Kitchener vs. Albaugh Jarvis vs. Blue Lake
6pm Kichener vs. Chicago/NY Albaugh vs. All Stars
8pm NY Gremlins vs. Jarvis Midland vs. Blue Lake

Sunday, 1 August

Sunday 8:30am B3 vs. A2 A3 vs. B2
Sunday 10:30am A1 vs. B2/A3 winner
Sunday 10:30 am B2 vs. A2/B3 winner
Sunday 12:30pm Championship.


Ballparkradio
is now in its eighth year of broadcasting men’s fastball. The Erie tournament is the sixth tournament of the 2010 season, and sixth of eight events overall:

January – AAU International Tournament (Jim Flanagan & Josh Johnson)
June – Best of the West (Jim Flanagan)
June – California Classic (Jim Flanagan, Greg Hicks & Steve Miner)
July – Legends Fastball Classic (Kyle Smith & Blair Setford)
July – Tavistock Tournament (Kyle Smith & Joe Todd)
July – Erie Tournament (Kyle Smith, Bill Hillhouse and Derek Pukash)

Still to come:

August – Canadian Midget Boys Tournament (Kyle Smith and friends)
August – ISC World Tournament (the whole BPR crew)

Did you miss some of the earlier broadcasts, but want to listen to the games? Check out the archives section of our newly designed broadcast website.

The broadcasts in Erie PA will be made possible by use of wireless card, provided courtesy of Rovair.com. The wireless card is a USB device (“rocket stick”) that provides a cell phone style connection to the internet. Ballparkradio first used the device in Santa Barbara earlier this year, to broadcast the Best of the West tournament. The lack of internet connection at many venues had been an impediment to broadcasting, but no more, thanks to Rovair.com.

(Rovair.com rents the devices on a per day basis, great for travelers who need a portable internet connection from time to time, but don’t wish to sign a two year contract and pay expensive monthly fees to boot. For more information, click the Rovair logo above. Be sure to tell them Ballparkradio sent you)

A special thanks to Erie Tournament director Bill Hillhouse, who made several trips out to the ballpark to test out our USB wireless card, to be sure of our internet connection in advance.

Team USA Clinches Berth in World Cup Title Game Despite Falling to Canada

Monday, July 26th, 2010

OKLAHOMA CITY — The USA Softball Women’s National Team has secured a spot in the championship game of the 2010 KFC World Cup of Softball in Oklahoma City, despite a Sunday outing that saw the ISF 2010 Women’s World Champions fall to Canada. The Americans lost 5-2 at the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) Hall of Fame Stadium but still clinched the No. 1 tournament seed when Japan topped Canada 4-0 in the night cap.

The Women’s National Team, now 4-1 in the tournament, will seek a fourth consecutive World Cup title Monday at 8 p.m. against either Japan or the Futures, a seeding to be determined following the one remaining pool play game, the Women’s National Team against the USA Softball Women’s Futures National Team at noon Monday. Futures has a record of 2-3 heading into the match-up. Japan finishes pool play at 3-3 with Canada at 2-4.

(more…)

Vancouver South Hill Giants Win Bob Law Memorial Vancouver Challenge

Monday, July 26th, 2010

Travis Price Tosses 2-hitter in Championship Game Win over Vancouver Meralomas

Top hitter: Kris Walushka, Portland CR Rockers
Top pitcher: Travis Price, Vancouver South Hill Giants
MVP: Derek Mayson, Vancouver Meralomas

Sunday, July 25
Game 14 (Playoff 2)
Invermere Braves 8R 7H 1E
Vernon DC Arrows 5R 8H 3E
WP Rich Haldane
LP Ryan Campbell
Eli Jules (Braves) Walk off HR, 3RBIs

Game 15 (Playoff 3)
Vancouver Meralomas 5R 8H 1E
Victoria Neilson Digital 2R 8H 1E
WP Derek Mayson
LP Collin McKenzie

Game 16 (Playoff 4)
Vancouver Meralomas 4R 8H 0E
Invermere Braves 2R 3H 3E
WP Derek Mayson
LP Rich Haldane

Game 17 (Playoff 5)
Vancouver Meralomas 8R 11H 0E
Portland CR Rockers 1R 4H 3E
WP Derek Mayson
LP Mike Piechnik

Game 18 (Championship Game)
Vancouver Meralomas 1R 2H 2E
Vancouver South Hill Giants 6R 9H 1E
WP Travis Price
LP Derek Mayson

A fine job by our blue crew. Many thanks to:
UIC, John Rebalkin
Tim Lederman
Rick Leche
Dan Young
Scott McLaren
Barry Redacop
Bruce Patton
Al Strang
John Wright
Brandon Bluhm
Troy Fields
Mike Duddy
Jack Floyd

A formal announcement was made by the Directors of South Hill Sports Association that the Vancouver Challenge tournament from this day forward will be referred to as the “Bob Law Memorial Vancouver Challenge.”

Submitted by Jim Johnson

For complete recap of the Bob Law Memorial Vancouver Challenge, click here.

Bar of Appleton tops New Image in NAFA Open World Series

Monday, July 26th, 2010



Bar of Appleton (last years AAA Champions) claimed the NAFA Open World Series with a 3-0 shutout over New Image(last years AA-Major Champion). Andrew Blackshaw was the winning pitcher and Kevin Kammueller took the loss. Josh Johnson, Bar of Appleton, was the MVP and Jeremy Holman,New Image, was the MVPitcher with a zero era, 3-0 and a perfect game. Other all world selections not already listed were Dan Wall of Wilber Lime, Jim Pecoraro and David Schuett of Dolan & Murphy, Joe Benash, Todd Burlage, Harvey Knuteson, Adam Bussan of New Image and Pat Humphries, Chris Delorit, Andrew Blackshaw,Jess Delorit and Tom Crouch of the Bar.

Final Order of Finish

1-Bar of Appleton, 4-0
2-New Image, 5-2
3-Rocky Mountain Rebels, 3-2
4-Pete’s Blues, 2-2
5-Dolan & Murphy, 3-2
6-Wilber Lime, 2-3
7-Gehrig Falcons, 2-3
8-Willkom Mobil, 2-3
9-Kegel Knights,0-3
9-BAC Pride, 0-3

Dolan & Murphy won the Sunday Single Elimination Bracket 4-1 over Wilber Lime with Ales Jetmer taking the win and Dan Wall taking the loss.

Editor’s note: Click here for the complete recap of the NAFA Open World Series.

#29 Quyon Combat Flyers win Gil Read

Monday, July 26th, 2010

From the Eastern Ontario Fastball Blog run by our friend Adam Brown

Note that the Gil Read tourney was played in Carp, Ontario, just outside Ottawa.

Quyon wins Gil Read Memorial Tournament

The final of the third annual Gil Read Memorial Fastball Tournament was a rematch of the 2009 championship game – with a different result this year, as the Quyon COMBAT Flyers defeated the Kars Aces to win the title.

Joran Graham was named tournament MVP.

Round Robin Standings
Pool A
1 Kars Aces 4-0
2 Carp I4C Victory 2-1-1
3 Fitzroy Harbour West Carleton Electric 2-2
4 Quebec Juniors 1-3
5 Roebuck Rampage 0-3-1

Pool B
1 Quyon COMBAT Flyers 4-0
2 Donnacona Blue Sox 2-1-1
3 Barrhaven Broadway Blues 2-2
4 Ottawa Blitz 1-2-1
5 Trend Arlington Shamrocks 0-4

Semi Finals
Kars 8 Donnacona 4
WP Brad Porter
LP Francis Leclair

Quyon 4 Carp 1
WP Joran Graham
LP Neil Cooke

Finals
Quyon 8 Kars 1 (5 innings)
WP Joran Graham
LP Jeff Murphy

Innerkip Umpires Association – Three Cheers

Sunday, July 25th, 2010

Thanks to Joe Todd for this info.

Congratulations and high accolades to the Innerkip Umpires Association in hosting. The 7th Annual Gord Marshall Memorial Ladies Fastball Tournament in Innerkip, Ontario.

Chaired by Brad Hallock and assisted by BallPark Radio/TV Play-by-Play Man Kyle Smith and about ½ of the village of Innerkip who either volunteered or assisted in securing funds in finding A cure for Cancer. This past Weekend they raised over $ 17,000.00 to be Forwarded to the Oxford County Cancer Association and over the past 5 years has now Donated a total of over $ 57,000.00 in an attempt to find a cure for this very lethal disease

Gord was a member of the Innerkip Umpires Associations and a Catcher for the Innerkip
Eagles and coached in the Innerkip Minor Ball System when we was struck down by this
Terrible disease at a very young age.

A team from Quebec defeated the University of Western Ontario Mustangs by a 5-0
Score in the Tier I championship game and in the Tier II Pool, the Milverton Millwrights
Jr Ladies team defeated the Otterville Otters by a 6-5 Score.

A job well done by all involved

Joe Todd

Gold Medals, Canadian Record for Dave Birnie

Sunday, July 25th, 2010


Ontario’s Dave Birnie on the top of the podium, winning gold medal at the Canadian Masters Track & Field Championships.

Congratulations to Ontario’s Dave Birnie (Ontario Masters Fastballer), on his gold medals won in recent months in Masters javelin:

Won the Gold Medal at the Ontario Championships on June 27th.
Won the Gold Medal at the Canadian Championships on July 18th.

Dave is the Canadian record holder, and recently had his record officially approved by the Canadian Masters Athletics Association. Birnie is currently ranked 1st in Canada and 5th. in North America.

Best to stand back a few extra feet if you go to watch him toss that javelin…

NAFA Open World Series

Sunday, July 25th, 2010

From Benjie Hedgecock, NAFA
[We are adding results here as they come in, so scroll to the bottom for the most recent results]



3 Upsets in first round of NAFA Open World Series

[Middleton, Wisconsin] – After a bucket of rain fell in Madison last night, it looked like the NAFA Men’s Open World Series might not get started at all but the top notch field crew at the Bowling Green Sports Complex overcame the rain and all games started near or on time this morning.

The day started out pretty exciting as three upsets unfolded in the first 3 games. (more…)

Bob Law Memorial Vancouver Challenge 2010 Results

Sunday, July 25th, 2010

From our friend in Vancouver B.C., Jimmy Johnson:

Bob Law Memorial Vancouver Challenge 2010Bob Law Memorial Vancouver Challenge 2010

Friday, July 23rd
Game 1

South Hill Giants 12R 13H 0E
Burnaby Dukes 0R 0H 3E
WP Kawagughi
LP Lum

Game 2

Vancouver Meralomas 6R 10H 3E
Abbotsford Farm 3R 5H 3E
WP Strang
LP Wiens

Saturday, July 24th
Game 3

Portland CR Rockers 4R 8H 1E
Vernon DC Arrows 2R 3H 2E
WP Anderson
LP Swart

Game 4

Invermere Braves 7R 10H 1E
Victoria Neilson Digital 1R 6H 1E
WP Rich Haldane
LP Kevin Careless
HR Braves Jessen Potskin, Rich Haldane
Digital Nick Medwedrich

Game 5

Portland CR Rockers 7R 12H 3E
Abbotsford Farm 2R 2H 0E
WP Terry Luster
LP Rick Unrah

Game 6
Invermere Braves 8R 10H 0E
Burnaby Dukes 1R 5H 1E
WP Matt Underwood
LP Todd Webb

Game 7

Vancouver Meralomas 5R 14H 0E
Vernon DC Arrows 2R 6H 0E
WP Derek Mayson
LP Ryan Campbell

Game 8

Vancouver South Hill Giants 8R 10H 0E
Victoria Neilson Digital 0R 3H 0E
WP Travis Price
LP Colin McKenzie

Game 9
Portland CR Rockers 8R 9H 0E
Vancouver Meralomas 1R 3H 0E
WP Terry Luster
LP Darren Strang
HR Rockers Brian Ree, Rob Gehrke

Game 10
Invermere Braves 5R 6H 1E
Vancouver South Hill Giants 6R 6H 3E
WP Jeff Kawaguchi
LP Rich Huldane
HR Braves Jessen Potskin

Game 11

Vernon DC Arrows 3R 4H 1E
Abbotsford Farm 2R 8H 0E
WP Ryan Campbell
LP Harv Wiens

Game 12

Victoria Neilson Digital 4R 8H 1E
Burnaby Dukes 2R 4H 4E
WP Kevin Careless
LP Phil Lum

Game 13
Vancouver South Hill Giants 4R 8H 2E
Portland CR Rockers 3R 6H 0E
WP Travis Price
LP Bricklen Anderson
HR Rockers Brian Ree

Sunday, July 25
Game 14 (Playoff 2)
Invermere Braves 8R 7H 1E
Vernon DC Arrows 5R 8H 3E
WP Rich Haldane
LP Ryan Campbell
Eli Jules (Braves) Walk off HR, 3RBIs

Game 15 (Playoff 3)
Vancouver Meralomas 5R 8H 1E
Victoria Neilson Digital 2R 8H 1E
WP Derek Mayson
LP Collin McKenzie

Game 16 (Playoff 4)
Vancouver Meralomas 4R 8H 0E
Invermere Braves 2R 3H 3E
WP Derek Mayson
LP Rich Haldane

Game 17 (Playoff 5)
Vancouver Meralomas 8R 11H 0E
Portland CR Rockers 1R 4H 3E
WP Derek Mayson
LP Mike Piechnik

Game 18 (Championship Game)
Vancouver Meralomas 1R 2H 2E
Vancouver South Hill Giants 6R 9H 1E
WP Travis Price
LP Derek Mayson

A fine job by our blue crew. Many thanks to:
Tim Lederman
Rick Leche
Dan Young
Scott McLaren
Barry Redacop
Bruce Patton
Al Strang
John Wright
Brandon Bluhm
Troy Fields
Mike Duddy
Jack Floyd

A formal announcement was made by the Directors of South Hill Sports Association that the Vancouver Challenge tournament from this day forward will be referred to as the “Bob Law Memorial Vancouver Challenge.”

Submitted by Jim Johnson