BRACEBRIDGE - A chance encounter has helped a Bracebridge man win a world title.

Ted Conway said he was having a conversation with some visiting players during a fastball tournament in Muskoka this past June when they asked him if he would be interested in joining them at the 2014 North American Fastball Association World Series in Moline, Illinois in early September.

The local fastball star agreed, and when the dust on the diamond settled on Sept. 7, Conway found himself holding the NAFA world championship trophy for the 45-over division, as a member of the Grimsby Diamond Kings.

“It was fun to be part of it. It was a really good bunch of guys to play with,” he said. 

The title win caps off a good season for the pitcher-infielder, who as a member of the Black Dog Farm team in the Bracebridge Men’s Fastball League, tied for second in pitching wins (7-1), including two complete games.

Conway helped the Kings reel off four straight wins after opening the NAFA tournament with a loss, on the way to winning the world crown, beating CPI New York 2-1 in the final game.

“I didn’t pitch at all. I played third base in the first game, had a bat in the semifinal game, and batted as a DH in the final. I did OK. I didn’t have a great weekend at the plate, but when you are facing top-notch pitching you don’t always hit as well as you hope to hit.” 

The 48-year-old played three of the five games for Grimsby at the tournament, but not because he didn’t want to suit up.

“I hurt myself in the first game. I had a double in my first time up and was trying to go to second on a hit and hurt my calf muscle. It was a safe hit but I still had to hustle to get there … I am not overly flight of foot,” he said chuckling.

This was not the first time Conway has been to a NAFA world tournament. He played in 2006 with a team from Cobourg, but lost out in the semifinals.

While the glow of a world title is still a recent memory for Conway, the fastball season is by no means over for him just yet. His team, Black Dog Farm, is still seeking the Bracebridge Men’s Fastball League championship and the team will be in action Thursday night in round-robin play as they take on Griffin Pub at 7 p.m. at Peake Fields.

Black Dog Farm is currently leading the round robin with a 2-0 mark.

“I am still a little sore but I am still going to play. It’s the playoffs,” he said with a laugh.