FORGING MEMORIES AROUND THE BASEBALL DIAMOND
Upcoming midget baseball championships will create memories for players and fans alike

Posted By Dan Haugh Special to Londoner

Paul Lytwynec referred to it as, "Without a doubt, the best hit under the circumstances that I have ever seen."

Matt Hexter recalled the moments leading up to it. "Me and a couple of the guys had our arms locked around our shoulders. We knew something was going to happen."

Cam Firth said, "I told myself if I had a chance to get up, I was going to win it."

The moment that they all were referring to was the bottom of the seventh inning of the semi-final game against British Columbia in the 2009 Baseball Canada Midget Championships. Cam Firth stepped to the plate with Trevor Barton on second in a scoreless tie and zoned in on a first pitch fastball. He hit a gigantic home run that sent the London Midget Badgers to the final game that they eventually won over Quebec, making them 2009 Baseball Canada Midget Champions.

It is this kind of memory that the organizing committee the 2010 Baseball Canada Midget Championships hope to create along with many more that the participants from each province will be able to take back home with them

The London Badgers baseball program and the London and District Baseball Association are hosting the 2010 National Championships Aug. 18-23, in London and St. Thomas.

This is a tournament that will create many long lasting memories. Former London Badger Chris Robinson who is currently with the Chicago Cubs Triple-A affiliate in Des Moines Iowa speaks of his recollections and memories of winning the 2001 Baseball Canada Midget Championship with the Badgers in Stonewall, Man.

"Believe it or not, even though our experience was almost 10 years ago, I can recall pretty much all the details about the entire tournament," Robinson says. "I remember the hotel we stayed in, I remember all the games we played, and especially I remember the bus rides from the field to the hotel each night."

The Badgers won the 2009 championship last August in Fredericton, NB and are all geared up to defend that championship and give the London Badger program their third Canadian Championship since their inception in 1994.

Second-year midget player Matt Hexter who made the trip to the nationals last season also talked about the excitement of last year's semi-final thriller when Cam Firth broke a scoreless tie with a two-out home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. "It is something I don't think I will ever forget because it was such an incredible moment."

The on-field memories will begin on Aug. 19, at 9 a.m., with games at Labatt Park, Dan Pulham Memorial Field and Emslie Field, in St. Thomas.

The Badgers will be playing twice on opening day. They will play Manitoba, at 9 a.m., and following the opening ceremonies they will face Alberta, at 6 p.m. Both of those games will be at Labatt Park.

There will be many lifelong memories for those who will participate in this important tournament, but as Robinson said, it is more than just the memories of winning. It is about the total experience, and the organizing committee has plans in place to ensure that everyone who visits London for the event will go home with a positive experience that they will never forget.

The action begins on Thursday Aug. 19 with the gold medal game being held on Sunday, Aug. 22, beginning at 6 p.m., at Labatt Park.