By Kevin Hollett
Photo courtesy of Vancouver Canadians
I believe in the Church of Baseball. I tried all the major religions and most of the minor ones. I've worshipped Buddha, Allah, Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, trees, mushrooms and Isadora Duncan. I know things. For instance, there are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches in a baseball. When I learned that, I gave Jesus a chance. - Susan Sarandon in Bull Durham
The Vancouver Canadians baseball club is back for another season, wreaking havoc on the rest of the Northwest League. In the spirit of the ol’ ball game, here are the top nine reasons to check out a Canadians game this summer:
9 / Granville Island and Whistler Beer
Really, what is a ball game without beer? In a word: boring.
8 / Nathan’s Famous Hot dogs
Hot dogs are to baseball what fights are to hockey—totally unnecessary, but the game wouldn’t be the same without them. In the words of the immortal Humphrey Bogart, “A hot dog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz.” The Canadians serve up only the best: Nathan’s Famous. I recommend challenging the person next to you to a hot eating contest. And for the non-rendered meat eaters, the Canadians also offer up some of the best vegetarian fare around, as evidenced by their PETA-approved menu.
7 / Fourth Inning Sushi Races
It’s a rivalry that’s up there with Yankees versus Red Sox or Giants versus Dodgers. Who will prevail between Chef Wasabi, Ms. BC Roll and Mr. Kappa Maki? The between-innings, regionally-themed mascot race is a tradition throughout ballparks across North America. In New York City they have racing subway cars; in Milwaukee it’s competing sausages. Of course, Vancouver would have a sushi-themed race. What did you expect, a race between competing condo development projects?
6 / Promotions
One of the great things about minor league baseball is the endless promotions. Fireworks, one-dollar root beer floats, bring your dog to ball-park day, kids running the bases after the game. The list goes on. The good folks running the promotions also bring in former ballplayers throughout the season. The appearance I’m most looking forward to? Jack “Black Jack” McDowell, the former Chicago White Sox and New York Yankee pitcher. The one-time great hurler now shreds guitar full-time for an alt-rock band, but he earned a permanent place in my heart for flipping the bird at Yankee fans.
5 / The Girls of Summer
It’s true, the Canadians are endeavouring to make baseball more appealing to the fairer sex. They’re offering baseball clinics, tickets to games and a whole host of other perks to women that sign up to the female-only fan club. That’s right, folks, baseball’s becoming a whole lot less dorky.
4 / The Errors
The Canadians are a Short Season Single-A ballclub, the farm club for Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics, meaning they play just about the lowest level of professional baseball around. The players who make up the roster are fresh out of college or recently transplanted from Latin America. Many are prone to the poor decision-making that afflicts all 20-year-old males. What does that mean for you, the fan? It means you’ll see some of the zaniest baseball this side of The Bad News Bears. I caught a game that featured two throwing errors on the same play and resulted in a Canadians player scoring from first base without a single hit recorded. The fans couldn’t have been more thrilled. The lesson: expect the unexpected.
3 / Nat Bailey: The Ballpark
The name might be a mouthful (Scotiabank Field at Nat Bailey Stadium) but the historic Nat Bailey Stadium may be the prettiest park in all of baseball. ‘The Nat’ was originally built in 1951 and has hosted its fair share of championship teams. The 5,000-plus seats are all located behind home plate and along the first and third base lines, creating a cozy atmosphere where spectators are huddled together above the action. Beyond the outfield fence to the west lies Queen Elizabeth Park, and the serene backdrop lends an air of picturesque naturalism to the game. Baseball was meant to be played on a field like this.
2 / Nat Bailey: The Man
He brought us White Spot. There’s a beer named after him. He was a staunch supporter of baseball in Vancouver. In short, the late, great Nat Bailey deserves our reverence.
1 / Your new favourite player
These guys aren’t long for Vancouver or Single-A baseball. By next season, most will have advanced to the next level of their profession. But it’s fun to track these guys as they go through the long apprenticeship of a pro ball player. And it’s a thrill to see Canadians’ alumnus make the bigs, like Rich Harden, Kurt Suzuki and Nick Swisher. My advice is to pick a player to direct your rooting interests towards. My choice this season: Tony Thompson, 3B. He’s talented, straight out of college and the highest Oakland draft pick on this year’s team. Plus, he’s very raw (see #4). I expect great things.
