A little bit of fastball today.
We start in Port Elgin with the Blue Devils where Manager Jim McKinnon was honored recently by the Ontario Amateur Softball Association.
McKinnon, the longtime field boss of the Devils, was added to the Gil Read Coaches Roll.
While uncertain of exactly who nominated him, there was little doubt that for the roll which includes achievement on the field plus passion and dedication to the sport of fastball among other traits.
Speaking with Jim McKinnon, he is certain the Blue Devils will operate in 2011, but, he can’t confirm at what level or which league they’ll participate in.
The ultimate desire for the Port Elgin club is to be at the Canadian Men’s Championship in Owen Sound next summer.
But would they be in the Senior Championship, or the Senior ” B ” Championship ?
The two tiered format is still on the table and is far from finalized.
Optimistically, everyone would like a 2 tier event, in fact by 2012 every Softball Canada Championship will have 2 levels of competition, but will there be enough Senior Men’s teams to make it viable.
Softball Canada, and the local organizing committee do not want a second tier if it’s strictly filled by Ontario teams- that makes a National Championship virtually meaningless.
However, if the West & the East buy in and send contenders to Owen Sound, it’s quite likely there will be a 10 team Senior Championship, and potentially an 8 team Senior ” B ” Tournament.
Jim McKinnon & the Port Elgin Blue Devils hope to be in that mix somewhere.
I’m Fred Wallace