Sports
October 16, 2008 08:02 PM
By: Mike Hayakawa
Forget the autumn race to the World Series.
There are hometown national baseball champions.
Stouffville residents Bill Johnson and Ross Hill were members of an Oakville Golden A’s team that won the 44 and over division in the 2008 Canadian National Oldtimers Baseball Federation Championship.
Their team successfully defended their title in Hamilton by defeating Spring Lakes, Alta., 6-0 in the title tilt.
The A’s also defeated Spring Lakes in last year’s final that was held in Red Deer, Alta., 3-0.
“It was nice to win last year because it was the first title for Ross and myself,” said Johnson, 50, who patrols centre field while Hill, 51, plays left field and was their designated hitter. “But it’s always nice to win it.”
Even more satisfying to Johnson, though, is that the game he plays is baseball.
Being 50 years old, Johnson said it’s often assumed that people who reach his age group tend to play a version of the game at a more relaxed pace.
“This wasn’t slo-pitch or softball. Playing baseball makes you feel like you’re a teenager where you’re running the bases. That’s what’s great about it,” he said.
In reaching the final in their nine-team competition, the A’s played three seven-inning round-robin games and tied each against Spring Lakes 4-4, Barrie 3-3 and Dufferin-Simcoe 4-4.
The A’s, however, advanced to the playoffs and it was here when things began to click as they routed Burlington 10-0 in a quarter-final and Dufferin-Simcoe 12-0 in the semifinals.
Johnson felt their club’s depth, from a 21-player roster, was the key ingredient in winning the title.
As for next year, Johnson and Hill hope to be in Tracadie, N.B., where the A’s intend to make it a three-peat.