KITCHENER — The Kitchener Hallman Twins are back in business.

Less than eight months after pulling the financial plug on Canada’s longest-continuously operated senior men’s fastball team, local entrepreneur and philanthropist Jim Hallman has resurrected the team in hopes of winning a third consecutive national championship. Hallman, along with player/coach Dave Bailey and skipper Doug Eidt, decided to go for the three-peat at last month’s Legends of Fastball Classic in Kitchener when it become apparent many of the players from the previous championship teams would make themselves available.

The Twins — now in their 43rd year of operation — will compete this weekend in New Dundee at the Ontario Amateur Softball Association senior elimination championship and then gather again for the Aug. 28-Sept. 4 Canadian championship in Owen Sound. The OASA Great Lakes intermediate championship will also be played this weekend at Doug Fischer Memorial Park.

“I thought I was ready to sit back and watch from the sidelines until I actually sat back and watched from the sidelines,” laughed Hallman.

“This is probably just a one-off deal . . . we have a shot to three-peat and that would be really cool.”

Bailey, who has come out of retirement to play, and Eidt have assembled a roster they hope will be one of the teams to beat in Owen Sound.

“I suspect we will have one of the best pitching staffs at the tournament and our defence looks like it will be rather solid. Our biggest test will be to score runs,” Bailey said.

Outfielder Ryan Wolfe, Bailey, and pitchers Grant Moore and Don Scott are back from the team that competed in last year’s International Softball Congress world championship, while Greg Cormier, Rob O’Brien and Dave Levy are back from the national championship roster.

Pitcher Andrew Phibbs will join the team from the Jarvis Travellers, while his brother Allan Phibbs, a catcher, is up from the K-W Cubs. A number of other hired guns have also agreed to play.

A newcomer to watch is Terry Martin, who currently plays with the Kitchener Outlaws.

“He’s probably the best player in Canada that has never played senior fastball,” said Bailey.

Wolfe will also be another player to keep an eye on. The gifted fielder is coming off knee surgeries and will be counted on to play a key role.

“He’s arguably the best player in the game, so we’re hoping he’s back to 100 per cent but even 90 per cent of Ryan Wolfe is better than most,” said Bailey.

Although he called it a one-off deal, Hallman refused to say that decision was etched in stone.

“It will be a year-to-year thing, but other tournaments, I don’t think so. It’s one of those things that (wife) Sue and I, we really enjoy it. We’ve made a lot of friends at the ball park and we really do miss it . . . but the financial costs…the reality is that we’ve done this at a high level for 10 years and we’ve kind of done our part. I was hoping that some other people might step up but they didn’t,” said Hallman.

It was reported earlier this year the Twins had operated on an annual budget of about $150,000 but Hallman said that figure was low.

Seven teams are competing in New Dundee for the intermediate championship – the K-W Cubs (which are sponsored by Hallman), Kitchener Outlaws, Wellington Sox, Harwood Corners, Palermo/Hammer, Toronto Gators and the defending champion Cobourg Force.

The senior elimination championship features the Twins, Port Elgin Blue Devils and Owen Sound Verge Selects. All three teams will compete at the Canadian championships, along with squads from Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec and British Columbia.

The Twins roster in New Dundee will look nothing like the squad that will gather in Owen Sound. Many of the top players are competing for other teams at a tournament in Erie, Pa., this weekend.

Games in New Dundee begin on Friday night with K-W Cubs vs. Hardwood Corners, Cobourg vs. Kitchener, and Wellington vs. Palmermo/Hammer. Toronto plays its first game on Saturday.

The Twins, Selects and Blue Devils play all their games on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m.

There is no admission charge this weekend. Minor ball players from New Dundee will collect funds for the OASA scholarship fund.