Rookie Ball Select teams play at Rogers Centre for TBA 100th

Wow! What a night!

Thanks to everyone who helped to plan and prepare for the 100^th Anniversary Rookieball Select tournament at Rogers Center on Sept. 14, 2013. The coaches did a great job of marshalling their teams and setting up and playing through the games so that everyone had a chance to field and hit. All the teams conducted themselves onto and off the playing area very well so we were able to get both sets of games, team and umpire pictures, and equipment clean up all done within the time the Jays hoped we could be done. This took everyone’s co-operation. Great job!

There were some people that deserve special mention - our equipment crew:

John Kolanowski assembled all the equipment bags, pitching machines, bases, baseballs, first aid kits and contingency gear. The gear was from East Toronto and pitching machines from both East Toronto and North York. Karen Simms, Anthony Simms and Will Pappas all helped John with the distribution, diamond set up, tear down and repacking so that we all were able to leave on time.

Without this special effort, the equipment logistics would have been overwhelming. Instead, it went like clockwork.

I know that the Jays’ staff spent a great deal of time planning their efforts. The folks on hand did a great job and were extremely happy at how well the night went. Thanks for a tremendous effort on their part. This was a first effort at an event like this but their planning helped make this a well-organized and exciting event for the kids.

I commented to some of the coaches, that it looked like the parents and spectators were having more fun than the players. I was promptly corrected: the coaches all said that they were having the most fun. On this night, I think we all tied for first with regard to who had the most fun.

Thanks to everyone for their contributions toward celebrating the TBA’s 100th anniversary at such a memorable event.

David Black
TBA President

Watch here for photos, coming soon.

Peewee Select All-Star games were successfully held at Pelmo Park, hosted by the Etobicoke Baseball Association

Mosquito All-Star games were also held at Bond Park, hosted by the North York Baseball Association

At Talbot Park, the Bantam All-Star games were hosted by Leaside Baseball

A Wonderful Time Was Had By All At The TP Baseball Season Opening Weekend Event

Beneath sunny skies at Christie Pits, players and parents came out in large numbers to partake in the various baseball clinics held by Toronto Playgrounds Baseball Association to commemorate the Centennial Year of Amateur Baseball in the City of Toronto on May 25, 2013.

Cartoon from Toronto Star, April 28, 1913

Toronto Baseball Association to celebrate 100 years

 In 2013 the Toronto Baseball Association will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of our founding in April 1913.

A committee has been established to determine how we will celebrate this anniversary and to organize the events.

A meeting has been tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 1, 2012, 10am at Stan Wadlow Clubhouse (location to be confirmed).

Many more people will be needed to help make this a celebration to remember, so please contact us if you'd like to help.

The committee is also looking for any memorabilia people have that they could share with us. Please contact Howie Birnie or David Fuller to arrange for  your photos, articles or objects to be copied or loaned.

Current volunteers:
David Black, Howie Birnie, Tom Slahta, David Fuller, Andy Topolie (Toronto Blue Jays), Steve Davis, Jeff Sawchuk, Raf Choudhury, Patrick McConnell, Andrew Bradley and Jack Brown.

The Baseball Commission appointed by the A.A. Union of Ontario to put baseball on an amateur basis have called a meeting to be held at Room 204, 22 College street, to-night. One representative from each of the following leagues in the city are requested to be present:

City Amateur, Beach, Northern, Toronto Senior, Don Valley, West Toronto, Civil Service, Vermont, East Toronto, Dovercourt Park, Spalding, Queen City, Bayside Park, Presbyterian, Anglican, Methodist and Catholic Church Leagues, Manufacturers', Financial, Y.M.C.A., and the leagues in connection with the different societies. the Central and Independent Leagues and any other leagues that have been omitted. The commission earnestly request that these representatives be present so that the leagues will thoroughly understand the situation and assist the commission to get at a solution of the matter.

Toronto Star, April 3, 1913 - The first step[s] to organize amateur baseball in conjunction with the Ontario branch of the C.A.A.U. [Canadian Amateur Athletic Union] were taken last night at a meeting between Walter Trivett's committee and representatives of a dozen of leagues, when it was decided to organize the Toronto Amateur Baseball Association, with the ultimate purpose of extending to a Provincial Association. The meeting adjourned till Friday night, when the plan will finally be adopted. All city leagues are asked to send delegates and take a hand in the formation of the new body. The Star Trophy has been offered to the proposed association as the amateur trophy for the city of Toronto.

Committee members forego baseball to plan a celebration of the game

By Andrew Bradley

Ten die-hard baseball nuts gathered Saturday morning at 10am at Etobicoke Civic Centre council chambers – which speaks to their commitment to marking the association’s century in baseball, set to begin in April.

They could have been taking in the Ontario Baseball Association’s annual Best Ever Coaches’ Clinic. They could have been attending Bill Humber’s baseball class at Seneca College where Cooperstowner Bob Elliott spoke about Tom Cheek’s posthumous entrance to the Hall as a broadcaster.

But no, these fellows, representing pockets of Toronto’s amateur baseball community of about 14,000 players, plus coaches and administrators – all volunteers – were here to hammer out details. The how is still up in the air.

East York’s Andrew Pace has a 100-year commemorative sleeve crest drawn-up, ready to be sewn onto uniforms. North York’s Steve Davis has recruited a post-graduate co-op student from George Brown College to help with event planning (whose contract begins Monday). “It’s mind-boggling to think of all the organization that goes into just one house league Rookie Ball program,” said Davis, who often speaks of raising-up champion volunteers – the small number of dedicated men and women who make community baseball possible. “You could tear up when you think of how much goes into these efforts.”

Tony DiRollo, President of the Etobicoke Baseball Association, who cared for and lost both his parents in the last year, on top of job, kids, etc., etc., knows a thing or two about potentially tearing up. It’s understandable. And life does have a way, as DiRollo says, “of putting things in perspective. Usually I didn’t make these Saturday morning meetings because I was with my mother, getting her ready for the week, making sure she was okay.”

And that’s what makes it special. We all have somewhere else to be, other things to do. But the die-hards see the value. They do it for free. They do it because they perhaps remember what it felt like to be a kid. To have their coach catch them in the bullpen and teach them the change-up. To have BP tossed at them for hours. To have someone take the time, at whatever level they played, and show them how to pick up a ground ball.

President David Black has been in touch with the Toronto Blue Jays, who are keen to offer more clinics and possibly host a gala banquet at the Rogers Centre.

Possibilities abound. Ideas are still up in the air – and we’ll find out in due time where they’ll land. One thing is for sure: the Toronto (Amateur) Baseball Association is 100. However we decide to do it, that’s worth a celebration.

[The 100th anniversary committee is also looking for any memorabilia people have that they could share with us. Please contact Howie Birnie (hwbirnie@rogers.com) or David Fuller (david_fuller@live.ca) to arrange for your photos, articles or objects to be copied or loaned.]