The Chilliwack Progress from Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada • Page 19

hcPro0ic Wednesday, May 16, 1990 B7 Ml by Stephen Qold in this area Total of 16 leagues and 280 As Chilliwack and District Minor Baseball Association president Ian Wicker notes, "there is a whole whack of people that play ball in Chilliwack." From slo-pitch for seniors, to men's fastball, to mixed two pitch, to softball for businessmen, to children's ball, In Chilliwack there is a league or association to accommodate just about every taste. In fact there are some 3,800 people, from six years of age and older on 280 teams, In 1 6 Jeagues or associations playing some form of organized ball (baseball, softball, slo-pitch and two pitch) in the district. The following articles on this page and on B8 outline the activity in the Chilliwack area. 'Two pitch is the way to go' teams begin In April ra and continue rJ I jjntil August In some 3,800 Players Minor Softball squeeze It's a case of the 'squeeze play' in the Chilliwack and District Minor Softball Association. Each year, for the last several years, the number of children playing minor Softball "seems to increase 10 per cent" but the number of diamonds in the District of Chilliwack "isn't increasing" at the same rate, notes association president Evan Parker.

However, he is quick to note that the district has been "excellent" in helping to alleviate the tight situation by making sure "minor hardball and softball get first dibs" on the fields. This season shows a continuation of the growth of recent years. Roughly 800 players on 65 teams, up from 59 or 60 last year, compete in five divisions. Registration Pre-mites, the only group where boys and girls play together, has 12 teams. There are seven girls and 10 boys mites clubs.

Eight girls and nine boys' squads are registered in squirts, four and seven, respectively in pee wee, four each in bantams and two and zero in midgets. Each division has three levels of play, based upon ability; and C. Formerly called house, is for the less skilled or serious, Parker said. "Bs and As both have tryouts and the better players from both are chosen, he said." The 14-16 game season begins in mid-April and concludes in mid-June. For all but the pre-mites and mites the local playdowns and the provincial tournaments follow.

School diamonds from Yarrow to Rosedale are the sites of local minor Softball games. Monday and Wednesday evenings pre-mite, mite boys, and pee wees play. Tuesday and Thursday nights mite girls, squirts and bantams hit the field. Past champs Pee Wee provincial champions two years ago, the Cheam Sports Bantam A team, coached by Jim Beck, is playing in the third division of the Chilliwack Men's Softball Association. Tolson's Enterprises, coached by Walt Derksen, is in its first season of rep pee wee action.

One of the two midget girls teams, the Rainbows are playing in the Ladies Softball Association league, while the other club plays games againts squads from Abbotsford and Langley. Parker praised the work of this year's executive, in particular those "people with no vested interest (i.e. no children) in The association offers free clinics in coaching, pitching and umpiring for those thinking of giving some time to the sport. If interested they may contact him at 858-9555 or the recreation department of the district. participate in baseball CO LU and softball in the Chilliwack area! Wednesday Night Two Pitch including last year's regular season champions; Johnston Packers.

Last year Johnston Packers didn't lose a game, but this season it has already suffered one defeat. The 2Q teams play a 19-game season that started April 4 and ends July 18. One tournament was held on the May 5-6 weekend at Vedder Junior Secondary, while the year-end event goes July 28-29. Regular season games are at various local schools. During tournaments the teams are split into five divisions.

The league has six new teams; Home Hosers, Inorex Charter, Cruisers, Double Crossers, Chilliwack Roofing and the Misfits. Among those dropping out, Skowkale joined the new native league. Nation League It's a competitive league with a "lot of games won by one or two runs" but organizer Willy Hally figures it'll be Skowkale or Sonny's DJs taking the championships in the Nations Two Pitch league's first season. The other teams in the league are the Chilliwack Trappers, Tzeachten, James Gang, the Renegades and Squiala. The 18-game season began April 17 in the "all native league for all the native reserves in the CO ID CD CM CM CM CM CM If the numbers are any indication, Chilliwack Two Pitch Church League president Tony Bestebroer is right, "if you really like baseball, two pitch is the way to go." One thing is clear, Chilliwack residents certainly like their two pitch.

Although none of the five local two pitch leagues is more than five years old, between them the leagues contain approximately 40 per cent (1,060 of 2,520) of the adults playing ball in Chilliwack. Chilliwack Two Pitch While the Chilliwack Two Pitch Association, in its fourth season of play, may not be the oldest two pitch organization in Chilliwack (the Chilliwack Two Pitch Church League is in is fifth season) it is the largest. Three-hundred-and-fifty players on 22 teams gather at school grounds all over Chilliwack on Sunday and Monday evenings. The season started April 18 and concludes July 16. Each team plays each other once during the regular season.

The mid-season tournament is June 1-3 at Sardis Elementary school, while the year-ending affair is July 22-22 at Monarch and Fraser Ball Parks. At the latter tournament each player donates a can of food for Chilliwack Athletes for Turkeys and Toys. The "main thing is to go out and have some fun," said league president Beryl Kemp. Husband and wives playing on the same teams is a common sight, she said. During the regular season teams are all in one division.

In tournaments they are grouped by ability into five divisions. Last year Johnston Packers won the regular season title. This year Kemp thinks the league has become more competitive. The one change in teams is the departure of Chilliwack Landing Legends to the new St Nation Two Pitch League and the addition of Realty World. Wsdnttday Two Pitch Many of the teams in the Chilliwack Two Pitch Association also play in 00 CO CD CO DC co DC co DC CO DC co DC LU co DC LU CO DC LU co DC LU co DC LU CO DC LU CO DC UU CO DC LU CD OO CO DC LU 5 CD LO CO DC LU Q.

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11-12 and will be in a round-robin format. Church League The Chilliwack Two Pitch Church League is trying a new format this season. After each of the 14 teams play each other once (by June 11) the clubs will be split into two divisions and each team will then play each team in its group once before the regular season ends in early July. One team folded (Shop Easy) and three new clubs joined (Old Dutch Bakery, St. Mary's church and the Greendale Mennonite church) before the season began April 14.

However, the league could have grown by more than just two teams, president Tony Bestebroer noted. "After the schedule (was completed) we had three more inquiries for teams, but we had to say no because of the (shortage of) diamonds in Chilliwack and because the schedule was made up." Games are Monday through Thursday at A.D. Rundle, Chilliwack Junior, McCammon, Cheam, Robertson, Bernard, Tyson, Rosedale and Unsworth elementarys. The league's tournament is July 9-14 and uses a double-knockout format. Last year Homers Restaraunt won the regular season, while Broadway Mennonite took the tournament.

Those teams, Canex and the Chilliwack Stealers "look good" this year, Bestbroer said. Mixed Two Pitch The emphasis is not on competition in the Church Mixed Two Pitch league, notes coordinator Jane Tio. "Our emphasis is fellowship among the churches," she said. "If people are really interested in competition they don't stay long. "In fact the first two years I don't think we even kept score." The six-team league started its fourth season April 27 and will conclude at the end of June with the playoffs.

Games are Friday evening at A.D. Rundle, Vedder Junior and Yarrow elementary schools. Yarrow's Mennonite Bretheren, Carmen United, two teams from Sar-'dis Community church and now two teams from Glad Tidings (last year there was one make up the league. the lower division crowns last season. Radio Shack left the A division to play in the Chilliwack Softball Association.

Ernie's is just one of three teams from the Chilliwack Alliance church; the othe two being Paragon and NRS. The teams play a 14-game season with the top four qualifying for best-of-three playoff series. Games are Friday and Saturday at Fraser and Monarch. There are five new teams in the nine-team division. The additions are the Ford Camp Athletics, Salva- Ladles Softball Association The Ladies Chilliwack Softball Association is down one team from last year, but the competition will be even tougher, says league representative Ron Wedel.

Last year Talismen (now Margaritas) went undefeated in both regular-season and playoff action, but already the club has lost a game and that reflects the greater balance in the league, Wedel said. Geordies, Wagner, Chilliwack Gravel and Rainbows are all teams Twenty two teams compete for three to four months in three divisions. From men to women to church to mixed merchants, there's a fastball league for everyone in Chilliwack. Softball Association The Chilliwack Softball Association is for the committed athlete, notes association president Norm Johnston. "You're on the ball park three nights a week for three to four months." With 22 teams in three divisions, the association is down three teams, two from division 1, from last year.

Disbanded because of a lack of players are Martens Agency and Annies Seniors. Additions this season include the Agassiz midgets team in division 2. "They're a pretty good bunch of boys and we think they have the capability to play division 2," Johnston said. Also new in division 3 is BG's Chicken from the Engineering Ball League. Games go seven nights a week at Monarch and Fraser Parks at 6:30 and 8:30.

The season started April 23 and ends in mid-August with the playoffs. The four top teams in each division advance to post-season action with best-of-five semi-finals and finals. Church Softball League The A division of the Chilliwack Church Softball League continues to be a stop-over for teams either heading to the Chilliwack Softball Association or coming from the division of the church league. Seven of the eight teams remain the same as last year, with Ernie's Stucco moving up from after winning Chilliwack Softball Association, but for those that only want to play once a week, is how past president Dave Grainger describes the Engineering Ball League. "Intermediately serious; it's pretty good baseball." The league has the same 10 teams as last season.

This year's play began the beginning of May and will conclude in July. Games are Tuesdays at various local fields. An invitational mid-season tournament is May 25-27. Instead of a playoff, a league-championship tournament will be held in the second week of July. Both tournaments will be at Sardis Park.

Last year's regular season champions were Transmission. Mixed Merchants league The Mixed Merchants Ball League is for those who want to play by fastball rules and have paid umpires but don't want the same level of competitiveness as the Chilliwack Softball Association leagues, notes merchants' league organizer Don Petkau. After having 12 teams two years ago, and nine last year, the Mixed Merchants league is down to eight in 1990. The 21-game season started April 18 and concludes at the end of June. Games are Monday and Wednesday evenings at the Chilliwack Fairgrounds, Robertson and Sardis Elementarys.

This year a mid-season tournament is scheduled for June 9-10 with the year-end affair going July 15. Last year's champions were Fraser Cheam Realty. that are stronger this year, he said, but despite parity it will be a two-team race at the end. "From what I've seen I think it'll be Margaritas and Earthquake Annies (the club that beat Margaritas) at the top." Teams play an 18-game regular season which began April 24 and ends July 3. The top four teams then play best-of-three semi-final and final series.

Games are Tuesday and Thursday in Rosedale and at Monarch Park. Tentative plans also call for an invitational tournament July 13-15. Engineering Ball League On a par with the division of the tion Army (after a one-year absence), Greendale First Men-nonite, Eden Mennonite and Sound Around from Glad Tidings. The regular season started April 30 and concludes June 30 to make way for the knockout playoffs. Games are Monday, Friday and Saturday at the Chilliwack Fairgrounds, Rosedale Ball Park, Vedder Junior, Sardis Secondary, A.D.

Rundle and Vedder Junior. Last season's regular season and playoff champions, Ernie's Stucco, moved up to the A division. Regal Cabinets look like "they're going to be the team to beat" this season, noted president Ken Neetz. it Blake Pow of Earthquake Annie's.