Pretty cool accomplishment by the Trail Orioles (U16 edition).
Almost historic, well, probably historic.
I have been explaining for decades now that this is a baseball town, as much as it is a hockey town or any other competition town.
The U16 Trail Orioles just won the Washington State American Legion Baseball Championship.
It wasn’t close, the Orioles having lost one game all year in the league, blitzed everybody in the playoffs. The team that came the closest lost by eight runs, in the final, against a team focused on smart defensive baseball, after Trail mercy ruled them in the round robin.
The point is, this is a town that, over almost a century, has been the only Canadian town that could even compete with Americans at their national pastime.
We, being a small population area, haven’t gotten by American teams to great titles often, but that is likely only because we have always had a lot of other competitions on our minds.
Too bad that because the team is very young there are not further paths to take – the way, for instance, hockey teams from Spokane were able to move on and win Canadian hockey titles.
But, they won, decisively, what they could.
Only one local team has exceeded the accomplishment of the current Orioles. The 62 East Trail Little League team knocked off nine states and only missed a Williamsport World Series shot after losing, after long travel, in extra innings to a Monterey team that won that Little League title easily after struggling, at home, against Andy Bilesky’s best team ever.
Just imagine what might have happened if the best players from the West side of the river had been included in that 62 team.
Point is, this is a major, quality affirming, season for Trail baseball.
It should be celebrated. And, people should get on board with supporting it.
Meantime, of course, you can get out to Butler Park and support the adult Orioles quest for the provincial senior title, all weekend. It seems like the least you could do and still call yourself a proud Trailite.
And, don’t nag me about not being there with you. I am committed to an anniversary half a century in the making, for a woman who originated here. Kim is having her birthday elsewhere, and we have been planning for it for a very long while.
Love to be there and shouting, “Go Trail.” I can’t. You can, and you should.
