Why these oldtimers have stayed with baseball through the years

Organizers say over 500 players on 33 teams from six provinces will take part in the Canadian National Oldtimers Baseball Championship, being hosted on P.E.I. beginning Thursday night at Memorial Field in Charlottetown.

There are four age categories for the tournament: 35-plus, 43-plus, 50-plus and 57-plus.

You're going to be a little sore after this, there's no way you're not going to be, so you just prepare the best you can.— Alf Blanchard, tournament co-ordinator

Alf Blanchard, co-ordinator of the championships, says he falls into the 50-plus category and though most of the players are past their prime, they're still playing for a reason.

"Everybody still likes to win," Blanchard said.

"Even though some of us haven't played a lot of baseball in the last decade or two, there's some in the 35-plus group, I mean they're still playing."

Team effort

Blanchard said the Island baseball community has come together to help make the tournament happen.

"People care about baseball still on P.E.I., I think actually it's growing," he said.

"So we've had a lot of people helping out, a lot of hands make light work."

With 29 of the 33 teams coming from off-Island, Blanchard said he expects the Island economy to benefit from the tournament as well.

So I think to do a nice commemorative piece for Vern at the Oldtimers tournament when a lot of us who played for Vern or were coached by him are there, is a really nice touch.— Alf Blanchard, tournament co-ordinator

Blanchard said each team is guaranteed four games in the tournament which means a lot of work to get their bodies ready for the games. 

"Taking to the field, you just hope that nothing gets hurt too much," he said.

"You're going to be a little sore after this, there's no way you're not going to be, so you just prepare the best you can."

Vern Handrahan

The opening ceremonies take place at Memorial Field on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Included in the event will be a tribute to Vern Handrahan, a Charlottetown native that played for the Kansas City Athletics for two seasons in the 1960s.

"I remember Vern playing, and he was a coach here," said Blanchard.

"There's a lot of people that Vern, he touched their lives through baseball. So I think to do a nice commemorative piece for Vern at the Oldtimers tournament when a lot of us who played for Vern or were coached by him are there, is a really nice touch."

'Resurgence of baseball'

Blanchard said despite the growth of other sports like soccer in Canada, he thinks baseball is "having a great growth right now."

"From the people I've talked to that participate in this, they're all busy. They say they're seeing lots of kids playing baseball," he said.

"There seems to be a really nice resurgence of baseball in Canada."

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