The Citizen, 1998-05-20, Page 8PAGE 8. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 1998.
ports
From the sidelines
A gentle breeze of
optimism blows
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Blyth Mites
trounce
Walton 20-9
The Blyth Mite Boys got the
baseball season off to a booming
start, trouncing Walton 20-9.
The bats were active early as
Anthony Peters hit a homerun to
bring in Derek Younghlut. Eric
Caldwell smashed a triple followed
by a homerun from Jeff Elliott.
After watching his teammates load
the bases, Ben Caldwell belted a
grand slam.
With two good defensive plays
by Peters in the second, Blyth
returned to the plate in the third to
add to their tally with walks and
singles.
After striking out three in the
fourth, Josh Albrechtas, took tb- the
mound again in the fifth, with two
more strike outs.
A good defensive play in a throw
from Elliott to Peters also earned an
out.
The hitting continued through the
final innings as Darcy Cook tripled
in Peters in the sixth.
Albrechtas finished off the match
with five more strike outs.
Darcy Cook also contributed to a
strong pitching effort.
Slo-Pitch
league
swinging
Blyth's Industrial Slo-Pitch is
underway with six games played by
May 12.
Blyth Decor has won two with a
trouncing of the Renegades 24-2
and a white-wash of the Used Part
by 13-0.
Howsons defeated the Wildcats
18-8, while the Wildcats turned the
tables on 911 edging them 17-15.
The Wildcats, who had played with
only nine players, unfortunately
had to forfeit. 911 lost another to
the Wolves 26-3, while the Green
Machine felled the Renegades 17-
13.
Used Parts and 911 went head to
head Monday night, while How-
sons took on the Renegades and the
Wildcats were up against Blyth
Decor on Tuesday night. Thursday
night the Wolves play the Green
Machine.
All games start at 8:30 p.m.
By'Hugh
Nichol
A gentle
breeze of
optimism is
blowing across
Midwestern
Ontario bring-
ing a sense of
tranquility to the average hockey
fan. The Maple Leafs have promised
to spend some of the Ontario
Teachers' Pension Fund and monies
from proposed seat licenses to bring
a Stanley Cup to Toronto, the
Edmonton Oilers have new
ownership that intends to keep the
NHL franchise in Alberta's capital,
and the Brussels Bulls have solved
their front office problems, hired
new management, and guaranteed
junior hockey will be played at the
BMG arena this wither.
Earlier this spring the Bulls took a
reality check. Dismal attendance
figures, constant player and
coaching turnovers, early playoff
exits, and a shortage of executive
members brought forth concerns for
the continued operation of the Jr Cs.
Following a series of year-end
meetings the Bulls executive settled
on five options from which to
choose:
(1) Fold the team joining Howick,
Clinton and Goderich as local
hockey trivia.
(2) Take a year's leave of absence
as the Wingham Ironmen did in
1989.
(3) Continue to operate status quo
amid daily speculation of their
survival as the Listowel Jr Bs have
done for years.
(4) Accept an offer to purchase
from Palmerston investors.
(5) Issue a public plea for help in
hopes the community will rally to
save the team.
The fifth option was their choice
and the people of Brussels,
responded with volunteers stepping
forward to offer their services.
The first task undertaken was the
selection of a new and stronger in
number executive. A dedicated
executive is a must for any successful
organization for it is the backbone of
a franchise providing stability,
financial resources and taking care of
all the behind-the-scenes details.
An executive's proficiency at
understanding its responsibility is as
important as the on-ice performance
itself. Championship teams never
The Brussels Tigers open their
quest for a fourth straight Huron
Fastball League title travelling to
Seaforth to tangle with the Reds
Wednesday (tonight) at 7:30 p.m.
The home schedule begins Friday
night as Seaforth Plumbing and
Heating comes to town for a 7:30
start.
The Huron County Fastball
League has grown by three teams.
The demise of the Goderich
Fastball League has enabled the
end the season divided by, conflict
and dissension due to an executive
competing against, not working
with, the coaching staff.
The Bulls were founded in 1983
to provide local players the
Opportunity to pursue junior hockey
careers. Building extensively with
hometown products, the Bulls
proved you could win with local
talent reaching the league final in
three of their first five seasons. The
1986-87 squad, arguably the best
team to date and the only team to
win a championship, featured 10
players who apprenticed in the
Brussels Minor System.
Their policy of remaining true to
the area continued into the early 90s
where a Brussels/Hanover final
series became a sign of spring.
Recently, however, the Bulls
changed their philosophy by signing
players from Kitchener and Elmira.
The decision to import has provided
plenty of coffee shop talk and gave
many people the opinion the team
would rather lose with outsiders
than take the chance of winning
with a homegrown product.
Incidents such as the hiring of a
coach from Stratford when two
Brussels residents offered their
services free of charge, and the
executive's overruling of a coaches'
decision to sign a Brussels Minor
Hockey product as its overage
player has done little to enhance
their reputation within the
community.
The Bulls no longer mirror the
image of a perfect franchise. In the
revolving door of coaches Roy
Gingerich becomes the 14th
headmaster of an organization in
only its 16th season and assumes
control of a team that has not won a
playoff game in its last 14 tries.
What direction the new coaching
staff takes in selecting a team is as
yet unknown but whatever the
decision success will not return
overnight. It took the Bulls three
years to reach mediocrity and
patience must be exercised.
The community has shown its
support for the Bulls, now it's time
for the Bulls to show their support
for the community. In the words of
OHA President Brent Ladds, "The
burden will still be on the minor
hockey association to produce enough
talent to make the team competitive.
Imports will take you over the top
but YOU NEED THE LOCALS".
Goderich Orioles, the Goderich
Dukes, and Goderich Gardiners to
enter the Huron County League
bringing the total to 11 teams.
The other teams are the C4th
Reds, C4th Plumbing and Heating,
Zurich Rangers, Brussels Tigers,
Brussels Bulldogs, Walton
Brewers, Lieury Jets and the Exeter
Braves.
These teams will compete in a
20-game, home-and-home regular
schedule, with the top eight teams
advancing to the playoffs.
On the fly
The goalie prepares for an air strike as an opposing bordenball player readies his aim in
mid-air. The boys were participating in a fun tournament hosted by East Wawanosh Public
School, May 11 for the six North Huron Public Schools.
Grabbing a tip-off
Though a windy day, the students of the six North Huron
Public Schools took part in lively games of bordenball,
May 11. The teams were intermixed, with students from
each school on each team.
Tigers open season tonight
against hosting C4th Reds
HELEN JOHNS, M.P.P.
Wingham
Constituency Office
Wingham Strip Mall
Open Tuesday & Wednesday
9:00 a.m. — 4:30 p.m.
phone: 357-3672
fax: 357-4702
e-mail: johnsmbo@wcLon.ca