If you head to the Joan and Phil Lake Diamond on West 41st Avenue at Vancouver's Memorial Park South this week, you’ll have the chance to cheer for kids named “Sharpie,” “Gunslinger,” “Iron Pony” and “The Not-so-hefty Lefty.”
The nicknames of many Little League players are listed on team rosters and you can decide if White Rocks’ “Big D” Darius Opdam Bak lives up to his sizeable name.
The majors Little League B.C. Championship continues this week at the ball park named for South Vancouver Little League’s past president, Joan Lake, and her late husband, the committed groundskeeper, Phil Lake. From top to bottom, with the exception of one administerial staffer at the national office, Little League operates entirely on volunteer power. Managers, coaches, vice-presidents, score keepers, raffle sellers and that guy who waters the infield give their time and energy to make the league run, as is the case across amateur sport. The umpires are paid. When the outfield fence blew over in a gust of wind earlier this week, spectators co-operated to put it upright.
The diamond last saw provincial action in 1985, when Trail won the title over a team from Coquitlam. A player from that 30-year-old championship team has returned to Memorial South this week to watch his son compete, also for Trail.
For a mid-week game, Mike Reno sang the national anthem. The Loverboy rocker encouraged the 11- and 12-year-old players with this rousing message, "Turn 'em loose, boys!"
On Wednesday afternoon in what was widely anticipated to be the teams that meet in the championship final, White Rock shut out Little Mountain 8-0.
White Rock was allowed to enlist with 11 players, not the required 12, and features a pitcher who opted for Little League after competing in B.C. minor baseball. His nick name is "Tug Boat" and his pitches could spike the price of admission, which is currently nothing.
As of Friday afternoon, White Rock sits atop the round-robin standings with five wins and no losses. New Westminster follows with a 4-2 record and Vancouver's two teams, South Vancouver and Little Mountain, are tied at 3-2. The complete schedule is here.
The top four teams advance to the semi-finals at 3 and 6 p.m. Saturday, July 25. The championship is 2 p.m. Sunday, July 26. The winner earns a sport at the national championship in Ottawa and the chance to represent Canada at the Little League World Series next month.
Before each evening game, which starts daily at 6 p.m., South Vancouver continues to reel in musical talent to sing the Canadian anthem. On Friday, Sarah Johns of Dr. Strangelove will perform. Saturday, it’s jazz vocalist Steve Maddock.
On Sunday, before the Challenger baseball game at 10 a.m., a grandfather of one of the South Vancouver players will light up the mic. That’s Bill Henderson, the singer and songwriter of Chilliwack.
He and his daughters will sing the anthem before the championship game Sunday. Attendance is free.
Instagram and Twitter: @MHStewart
