The summer of 2006 should prove to dispel the rumour that major men’s fastball is a dying sport in Ontario, or for that matter North America.  While teams may continue to dissolve and in some cases merge, one thing is constant, the hub of the major tournament wheel will roll through southern Ontario again this year.

 With major tournament announcements already placing Monkton and Orillia on most ardent fans “must attend” list this summer, and both the ISC World Tournament and the ISC 2 Tournament of Champions slated for Kitchener in August, the only thing missing to wet the appetites of  the games most rabid and knowledgeable fans is the kick off event that sets the tone for all major men’s events in Ontario.

 It is with great pleasure that the Legends of Fastball Classic announces its return to Woodstock, June 2,3 and 4, at the beautiful Woodstock and District Community Complex. The Legends event has quietly become a mainstay on the Ontario tournament schedule over the past 3 years, and organizers take great pride in being able to showcase the very best of home grown talent while enticing some of the best of American based teams to make the trek into the dairy capital of Southern Ontario.

 The Legends event is unique in many ways. First of all it is headed up by a trio of ex-players in Brian Paton, Chuck Hendricks and Larry Lynch. These three have travelled to major tournaments around the globe and their experience and focus is to put fastball at the forefront of the Legends weekend. Secondly, the concept of honouring “legends of the game” brings the players, builders and characters of bygone eras back to the ball park for one more curtain call on what was certainly their legendary careers. Local radio and television personality Brad Janssen brings class and professionalism to the center of the legends ceremony, and his wife Marg heads up the  administrative role of the organizing committee.

 The Legends is also unique amongst major Ontario fastball events by focusing on Ontario based teams. The core of the tournament line-up over the past 3 years has been the member teams of the ISC Travel League. This year will be no exception as 4 of the premier clubs will participate including Orillia Riversharks, Innerkip Bright Cheese House Eagles, Kitchener Hallman Twins, and the Jarvis Merchants.

 With the ISC returning to Kitchener later this year , Legends organizers are happy to welcome both the 2005  ISC 2 Champion Elmira Cubs and the 2006 host team, the Bridgeport ProForma Braves to the field of participants. Likewise, the reigning Canadian National Champions, the St.Thomas Evergreen Centennials will try to capture their first Legends Classic title after losing out to the Broken Bow Spirit in the finals of the 2005 event.

 The Legends  Classic has always been an international event and organizers are pleased to welcome back the Midland ( Michigan ) Explorers, Heflin ( New York ) Builders and the New York Patsy’s. Most of the players on these 3 teams have been travelling into Southern Ontario for many years, and fans will certainly recognize a lot of familiar and talented performers over the 3 day event.

 The tournament is a 10 team , 2 division round-robin format with the top 3 teams in each division advancing to a single knock-out elimination playoff. The  2 division winners will receive a bye in the first round of the playoff and there will be an immediate cross-over between divisions , with the second place team playing the third place team on the other side. The Championship game will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday afternoon and will be telecast on the Rogers Cable Network in all of Ontario!   Please tune into Rogers Television Cable 22 on June 10 at 8 pm to view/record the game.

 Stay tuned for the complete schedule and team profiles over the next few weeks.

 One thing is for certain, there will be a new Legends of Fastball Classic champion in 2006.  While the Broken Bow Spirit have etched their legendary name on the first two tournament trophies, it is a whole new ball game in 2006 !

Pencil in Woodstock, June 2,3 and 4, for the Legends of Fastball Classic.

Larry Lynch
larry.lynch@city.kitchener.on.ca

Woodstock, ON

June 2-4, 2006



LEGENDS CLASSIC ATTRACTS
ANOTHER WINNING LINEUP



The 3rd annual Legends of Fastball
Classic isless than 2 weeks away and already there is a lot of talk
around the strongfield for this years event. Woodstock has been a
formidable host since the tournament inception in 2004, and with its
proximity to Kitchener and the ISC World Tournament this August, the
locals are salivating over the feast of fastball awaiting them in
Ontario this summer.



The line-up for the Legends Classic
includes a strong localhost in the Innerkip Bright Cheese House Eagles.
Innerkip personifies what “countryfastball” is all about. Made up of
predominantly local boys the Eagleshave made some strong showings at
the ISC World Tournament in recent years including a top 10 finish in
Fargo ND, in 2004.Their pitching staff is anchored by workhorse Jamie
Simpson, an all-worldthrower in 2002. He shares the mound with former
Waterloo Twin and Fedlock Falcon, Jeremy de Belleval, along with Dan
Skillings and Steve Running who also provide much of the Eagles
offence.



Kitchener Hallman Twins are starting their quest for
their first ISC World title, and would love to improve upon a strong
3rd placefinish in Eau Claire, Wisc last year. The Kitchener-Waterloo
based Twins are celebrating their 40th anniversary season in 2006 and
are widely recognized as Canada’s longest continuously operating major
men’s team. Their pitching staff is anchored by 2005 All-World pitcher
Todd Martin, and his mound duties will be shared by lefty Paul Koert
and power pitching Don Scott.



Perennial Ontario fastball
favourites, the Midland Explorers, will bring their Michigan based
clubback to Woodstock for a third straight year. Longtime Waterloo
Twin, and  former Canadian National team catcher Craig Crawford will be
calling signals for a pitching staff led by veteran Doug Gillis,
himself a stalwart on the USA National Team for many years. Returningt
o the Michigan ‘blue’ this year is lanky right hander Grant Patterson,
looking to add his hard throwing arsenal to the craftsmanship of his
mound mate Gillis. Veteran infielders Kyle Beane and Steve Horning will
be counted on to add their hitting prowess once the table is set by
theever dangerous lead-off man in Crawford.



The St.Thomas
Evergreen Centennials finished second at the Classic last year, but
served noticed to the fastball world that better things were tocome in
2005. They capped a dream year with a hometown victory in their first
ever Canadian National Championship in late August. The Centennials are
back inWoodstock and bring with them the legendary Darren Zack. Z-man
is without question the most recognized face in the game of major
men’sfastball, and without a doubt the greatest pitcher of his
generation. Toeing the rubber along with Zack is one of the games
biggest hearts and certainly one of its most successful workhorses in
Trevor Wardell . Hard throwing Dan Beecroftrounds out a solid pitching
staff and a very dangerous hitting line-up.



The 10 team – 2
division tournament structure will include 25 games over 3 days
including the final at 3:00 pm Sunday afternoon. The championship game
will be televised on Rogers cable fordelayed broadcast across the  full
Ontario Rogers system.



Games will get underway on Friday June 2
at the  beautifulWoodstock and District Community Complex Diamonds.




Details of opening night games, a full tournament schedule and
the rest of the line-up will be posted later this week.



Don’t
forget the Legends Ceremony at 2:00 pm on Saturday afternoon, when 5
more names will be added to the Legends of Fastball honourroll. Watch
Al’s Fastball for the names of the 2006 honourees, later thisweek.




larry.lynch@city.kitchener.on.ca