Baseball

Nanaimo NightOwls mascot Ney-te meets pitching coach Gorman Heimueller earlier this month at a sponsor event at the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce office. (Greg Sakaki/News Bulletin)

Nanaimo NightOwls’ pitching coach will help players get the most out of themselves

Gorman Heimueller brings major-league experience to West Coast League baseball team

Nanaimo NightOwls mascot Ney-te meets pitching coach Gorman Heimueller earlier this month at a sponsor event at the Greater Nanaimo Chamber of Commerce office. (Greg Sakaki/News Bulletin)
Golden Tide head coach Curtis Pelletier. (Photo courtesy of Victoria Golden Tide)

FRIDAY BASEBALL: Victoria Golden Tide playing inaugural home game

Tide taking on Thompson Rivers Wolfpack at Wilson’s Group Stadium at 6 p.m.

Golden Tide head coach Curtis Pelletier. (Photo courtesy of Victoria Golden Tide)
Former Parksville Royals baseball star Adam McKillican. (File photo)

Vancouver Island pitcher inks free agent deal with MLB’s Texas Rangers

Comox-born McKillican to join minor league affiliate in Surprise, Ariz.

Former Parksville Royals baseball star Adam McKillican. (File photo)
FILE - Persons portraying ghost player characters, similar to those in the film “Field of Dreams,” emerge from the cornfield at the “Field of Dreams” movie site in Dyersville, Iowa, in this undated file photo. Three decades after Kevin Costner’s character built a ballpark in a cornfield in the movie “Field of Dreams,” the iconic site in Dyersville, Iowa, prepares to host the state’s first Major League Baseball game at a built-for-the-moment stadium for the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

Field of Dreams: Inspired by 1989 film, Major League Baseball makes Iowa debut

White Sox and Yankees play at a temporary venue built for about 8,000 fans in tiny Dyersville

FILE - Persons portraying ghost player characters, similar to those in the film “Field of Dreams,” emerge from the cornfield at the “Field of Dreams” movie site in Dyersville, Iowa, in this undated file photo. Three decades after Kevin Costner’s character built a ballpark in a cornfield in the movie “Field of Dreams,” the iconic site in Dyersville, Iowa, prepares to host the state’s first Major League Baseball game at a built-for-the-moment stadium for the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
Oliver Mabee (left) and Tyrus Hall will soon head to Ontario for the Junior National Team camp taking place in mid-August. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)

Victoria Eagles players heading to junior national baseball camp in Ontario

Saanich high schoolers to join 38 other top prospects from across Canada

Oliver Mabee (left) and Tyrus Hall will soon head to Ontario for the Junior National Team camp taking place in mid-August. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)
Victoria HarbourCats super fan Helen Edwards, right, poses for a photo in 2019 with player Parker Bramlett. Edwards recently purchased six 2022 HarbourCats season tickets and donated them to three charities as a way of sharing her love for baseball. (Photo Christian J. Stewart/Victoria HarbourCats)

Three Victoria charities receive season tickets from HarbourCats fan

Long-time season ticket holder wanted to support team, share her love for baseball

Victoria HarbourCats super fan Helen Edwards, right, poses for a photo in 2019 with player Parker Bramlett. Edwards recently purchased six 2022 HarbourCats season tickets and donated them to three charities as a way of sharing her love for baseball. (Photo Christian J. Stewart/Victoria HarbourCats)
Gabriel Rodriguez is one of four people who have been arrested after more than a dozen weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were seized at a downtown Denver hotel close to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. (Denver Police/AP)

3 men arrested near All-Star Game facing federal gun charges

The suspects were arrested with more than a dozen weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition at a Denver hotel near the site

Gabriel Rodriguez is one of four people who have been arrested after more than a dozen weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition were seized at a downtown Denver hotel close to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. (Denver Police/AP)
The CN Tower is seen as the Toronto Blue Jays take on the Detroit Tigers in Toronto Saturday, May 7, 2011.

Toronto Blue Jays get government approval to return to Canada, starting July 30

The team says it will begin playing its home games at Rogers Centre starting July 30

The CN Tower is seen as the Toronto Blue Jays take on the Detroit Tigers in Toronto Saturday, May 7, 2011.
The Toronto Blue Jays participate in a batting practice at Summer Training Camp in Toronto, Sunday, July 19, 2020. Ontario’s sports minister has asked the federal government to allow the Toronto Blue Jays to play in Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston

Ontario asks federal government to open border for Toronto Blue Jays

Canada’s deputy chief public health officer said the Blue Jays’ return to Canadian soil is trending in a very good direction’

The Toronto Blue Jays participate in a batting practice at Summer Training Camp in Toronto, Sunday, July 19, 2020. Ontario’s sports minister has asked the federal government to allow the Toronto Blue Jays to play in Canada. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Cole Burston
Larry Walker Jr., a former Colorado Rockies player, will not attend all-star events in Denver this week after being “bit” by COVID-19. (National Baseball Hall of Fame)

COVID-19 keeps Larry Walker out of all-star festivities

B.C. baseball great will be inducted into Hall of Fame in September

Larry Walker Jr., a former Colorado Rockies player, will not attend all-star events in Denver this week after being “bit” by COVID-19. (National Baseball Hall of Fame)
Amid its second straight cancelled West Coast League season, the Victoria HarbourCats are hoping the recently relaxed public gathering restrictions will allow them to play exhibition games this summer. (Photo by Christian J. Stewart/Victoria HarbourCats)

Victoria HarbourCats exploring possibility of exhibition ball games for late summer

Unable to assemble signed squad, HarbourCats may play other Canadian teams in West Coast League

Amid its second straight cancelled West Coast League season, the Victoria HarbourCats are hoping the recently relaxed public gathering restrictions will allow them to play exhibition games this summer. (Photo by Christian J. Stewart/Victoria HarbourCats)
Mid-Island Pirates catcher Ben Shugar awaits a throw as a Parksville Royals baserunner slides for home during a B.C. Premier Baseball League game June 24 at the Serauxmen Sports Fields. (Greg Sakaki/News Bulletin)

Nanaimo’s Mid-Island Pirates getting a baseball season at last

B.C. Premier Baseball League team to play a 24-game season and then a championship tournament

Mid-Island Pirates catcher Ben Shugar awaits a throw as a Parksville Royals baserunner slides for home during a B.C. Premier Baseball League game June 24 at the Serauxmen Sports Fields. (Greg Sakaki/News Bulletin)
Kelly McGiffin, left, Dwayne Stern, batboy Jackson McGiffin and Kirk McGiffin are reviving the Port Alberni Cubs—this time as an over-55 baseball team. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

7th inning stretch? Island brothers reviving baseball for those 55-plus

Port Alberni’s McGiffin brothers ready to hit the diamond again in the autumn of their game

Kelly McGiffin, left, Dwayne Stern, batboy Jackson McGiffin and Kirk McGiffin are reviving the Port Alberni Cubs—this time as an over-55 baseball team. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Scenes like this one in the dugout are all too frequent for parents and kids arriving to play baseball at Nunns Creek Park these days, spurring a request to the city to let them move to the Sportsplex in Willow Point. Photo from CRMB presentation to City of Campbell River

Needles, feces and the unhoused send Island kids baseball program to greener pastures

Campbell River minor baseball program switches ballparks over growing safety concerns

Scenes like this one in the dugout are all too frequent for parents and kids arriving to play baseball at Nunns Creek Park these days, spurring a request to the city to let them move to the Sportsplex in Willow Point. Photo from CRMB presentation to City of Campbell River
Nanaimo NightOwls. (News Bulletin file photo)

Nanaimo NightOwls cancel season due to COVID-19

Baseball team’s inaugural season in West Coast League will have to wait until 2022

Nanaimo NightOwls. (News Bulletin file photo)
Former Parskville Royals Tim Holyk has been hitting well this season for the Miles Community College Pioneers in Montana. (Tim Holyk Facebook Photo)

Parksville Royals field veteran team for 2021 baseball season

Former star Tim Holyk hitting well in college action in Montana

Former Parskville Royals Tim Holyk has been hitting well this season for the Miles Community College Pioneers in Montana. (Tim Holyk Facebook Photo)
A Nanaimo NightOwls hat featuring an alternate logo created by Snuneymuxw artist Noel Brown. (Nanaimo NightOwls photo)

Snuneymuxw artist creates alternate logo for Nanaimo’s new NightOwls baseball team

West Coast League expansion team set to debut this summer at Serauxmen Stadium

A Nanaimo NightOwls hat featuring an alternate logo created by Snuneymuxw artist Noel Brown. (Nanaimo NightOwls photo)
Matt Simpson at the Chemainus Ball Park where he spent a lot of his development time over the years. (File photo by Don Bodger)

Cool transition to college baseball in Wisconsin for Island ballplayer

Chemainus baseball product anxious to get going after last season lost due to COVID

Matt Simpson at the Chemainus Ball Park where he spent a lot of his development time over the years. (File photo by Don Bodger)
The Chemainus & District Baseball Association is hoping to have a season this year, but it’s too early to make the call. (File photo by Don Bodger)

Baseball association awaits loosening of restrictions

Season typically starts in April, but might be delayed

The Chemainus & District Baseball Association is hoping to have a season this year, but it’s too early to make the call. (File photo by Don Bodger)
Alli Schroder is the first woman to sign with a Canadian College Baseball Conference program, according to Baseball Canada. (Submitted photo)

Kootenay pitcher becomes first woman in college baseball league’s history

Right-handed pitcher Alli Schroder commits to Vancouver Island University Mariners for 2021-22

Alli Schroder is the first woman to sign with a Canadian College Baseball Conference program, according to Baseball Canada. (Submitted photo)