The first game of the New Brunswick Senior Baseball League (NBSBL) doubleheader begins at 2 p.m.
Shortstop Jordan Duffy drove in three runs in the win over Moncton and played flawless defence in support of ace right-hander Jordan Stevenson, who improved his win-loss record to 3-3, although he deserves better.
The Islanders have the best pitching staff in the loop as Brody McDonald has an 1.04 ERA, second best among pitchers, but an 0-3 record; Jordan Stevenson’s ERA is 2.61, fourth best in the league, while Colin Arsenault, Brady Arsenault and Jake Beck have also pitched well.
Fredericton usually has a solid hitting team and that is the case again as veterans Mike Washburn and Dave Barr are one-two, respectively, in the battling race where less than a dozen players are hitting above .300 and none above .400, a rarity in amateur ball and especially in a hitters league, like the NBSBL.
It looks like an interesting pitching-versus-hitting match-up.
Football
The CFL is just three weeks old and already it appears the toughest clubs are again in the West. Tonight, the BC Lions (2-1) travel to the Steel City to meet the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (0-2), who just can’t seem to get their offence off the ground.
QB Zach Collaros has not been able to put points on the board, one touchdown to date, and that’s not going to win many games. Ottawa (0-2-1) is struggling as are the Montreal Alouettes, who are playing solid defence but the offence is having problems.
The Toronto Argos (2-1) are first in the East and with Marc Trestman running the ship, they’ll improve. Unfortunately, Toronto’s woes are not on the field but at the gate where just 11,219 showed up and paid to watch the last home game.
Let’s hope the Tiger-Cats tame the Lions tonight and break into the win ranks. A few Hamilton victories and a trip to arch-rival Toronto should rekindle their bitter rivalry and fill the stands.
Golf
The Charlottetown Boys and Girls Club Celebrity Golf Tournament gets underway Thursday not at the golf course but at Captain Jacks, the yacht club with a two NHL hot stove sessions hosted by the ex-NHL broadcaster George Matthews.
Session one at 8 p.m. has Ric Nattress, Doug Bodger, Mike McPhee and Chris Nilan while session two at 9 p..m has Troy Crowder, Darren Langdon, Chris Nilan and referee Gord Dwyer. Friday opens with 10 a.m. breakfast at Fox Meadow, golf and concludes with the East Coast Kitchen Party with Bruce Guthro, Charlie A’Court, Trinity Bradshaw, Dave Gunning, Kyle MacNeil, Tim Chaisson, Joey Kitson and others.
The Boys and Girls event in Summerside gets underway Monday evening with the celebrity dinner at Credit Union Place, reception at 5:30 p.m., the dinner at 6:30 p.m. and it’s been sold out with more than 1,000 to attend. Boys and Girls Club executive director Adam Binkley deserves credit for putting together such an impressive cast: NHL stars past and present like Max Domi, Bryan Trottier, Larry Robinson, Frank Mahovlich, Langdon plus Canadian track legend Donovan Bailey, wrestler Brutus the Barber Beefcake and big names from other sports.
The golfing gets underway Tuesday and Wednesday with three hole-in-one chances.
Hockey
Wilbur Cameron may not be a name familiar with Charlottetown hockey followers, but he was a driving force in Crapaud minor hockey, coaching kids and flooding his rink in Kinkora at all hours, enabling his boys to get on the ice early.
Wilbur passed away last week.
My condolences to wife Bernice and to David, Brian, Ricky, Michael, Charlie, Lorna and all connected to this gentleman.
Harness racing
The $22,000 Governors Plate, one of the great invitational races in Atlantic Canada, goes tonight with a great field, including trial winners Hot Deuce and Do Over Hanover.
Hot Deuce leaves from Post 7, and trainer Patrick Shepherd has clever veteran Walter Cheverie in the bike. Do Over Hanover has Post 2 with P.E.I.-dash winning leader Marc Campbell in the bike for Allard Racing, Steven MacRae and a Kensington group headed by MLA Matt MacKay.
It’s a solid field with Forever Paradise, Walter Dale winner Junebugs Baby, Invictus Hanover, Good Friday Three, Allstar Seelster and sleeper Crombie A.
Tonight’s 16-dash card gets underway at 6 p.m. and it’s a terrific one, especially the three-year-old colts where Clyde River’s Donnie MacNeill has his own Mick Dundee in one $12,940 divisions. This colt is in terrific form winning easily from well off the pace and now he moves up and meets stake rivals.
The $740,000 Meadowlands Pace goes tonight at The Big M and Dr. Ian Moore has Classic Pro from Post 9 while Mark MacDonald handles Blood Line from the rail for Jimmy Takter.
MacDonald also has Sunfire Blue Chip in the $427,000 William Houghton Memorial in what appears to be a wide-open race.
Fred MacDonald's column appears every Saturday in The Guardian. He can be reached at [email protected].
