They are the last men standing for Trail baseball this year, and starting tomorrow they just might be in with a chance to win the men’s provincial championship.
The Trail Orioles have, honestly, a lousy overall record so far this summer. Given their recent efforts against very strong opposition, however, the defending Western Canadian champion Orioles could well be in the mix when the playoffs start in Prince George Sunday night.
The Orioles begin play tomorrow morning in a round-robin group which includes Langley, Nanaimo and Kelowna. The other group has host Prince George, Victoria, Burnaby and Kamloops. There are a couple of places on-line where you can keep abreast of the results – I think even one where the box score is on-line in real time.
A berth in next year’s Canadian Senior Championship, will be on the line, along with B.C. bragging rights.
I will be tracking, and pulling for, Trail, of course. Not a lot in it for these guys besides the joy of playing good baseball and representing your home area. When I re-think it that is a lot.
I keep hoping that the more success they have the better crowds they will draw at Butler Park, and the more money they will raise to offset their formidable travel expenses as they carry, “Trail,” on their shirts to cities all over the West.
•What’s surprising in much of what I read about the Olympic Games is that anyone is surprised the economic impact of an IOC event is resoundingly negative.
Polls in London report almost routine responses that it is a, “disaster,” for most of the businesses in the city, which are usually inundated with traveling customers this time of the year.
Empty restaurants, shows, pubs, museums and galleries; lighter than usual traffic, barring a slight rise in subway riders, in all areas of the city and even lots of empty seats at games’ venues. It all adds up (down), as it always does, to hosting the entitled cadre of money suckers that is the IOC at all levels is a mug’s game.
What is really surprising is that there are still places that, despite all the evidence, want to host, and pay for, this profligate exercise. Go Canada.
