The Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame is set to open for another season on Saturday, May 3.
The Hall will be open on weekends in May (Saturdays 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays 12:00 p.m. to 4 p.m.) and on Victoria Day from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Starting on June 1 through October 11, the Hall will be open daily (Monday through Saturday) from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Hall of Fame will host over 450 events in 2014. The first large event is the MLB PHR presented by Scotts skills competition for kids ages seven to 14 on May 10 at 9 a.m. on Rotary Field. This event is free and kids will compete in strike-throwing, baserunning and hitting competitions against other kids in their age bracket.
On June 7, the Hall will host St. Marys Minor Ball Day. This will feature as many as 12 games taking place on the site, plus a barbecue that will be running all day. So please come out and enjoy some local talent and lunch!
Starting in May, the Hall will also be selling raffle tickets for your chance to play in the Team Wallach vs Team Jenkins celebrity ball game during induction weekend. Only 200 tickets are being sold at $10 each or three for $20. There are five prizes to be won, including two chances to play in the celebrity game, two chances to win second row seats for the induction ceremony and a baseball autographed by Tim Wallach.
A new field is also being built on the Hall of Fame grounds. The Hall encourages you to stop by and watch King Field grow into one of the nicest fields in southern Ontario. With financial support from the Town of St. Marys , the new multi-purpose field will be used for adult Slo-pitch and St. Marys Minor baseball/fastball.
INDUCTION WEEKEND
Thursday, June 19
Celebrity Home Run Derby and the Team Wallach vs. Team Jenkins celebrity game will start at 6 p.m. on Rotary Field. Come early to get a good seat and enjoy a barbecue supper and cold beverages. The game will mix local media and celebrities together for a fun time. In 2009, Larry Walker took one deep over the right field fence and in 2011, Tony Fernandez slashed a double to the outfield and scored on the next base hit, so who knows what the game will bring this year!
Friday, June 20
The London Salutes Canadian Baseball breakfast will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at the London Convention Centre. The morning will include a fireside chat with 2014 inductees Tim Wallach and Dave Van Horne and legendary Cooperstown inductee Fergie Jenkins, as well as a delicious breakfast, a museum display, a live auction and a 50-50 draw.
On that same day, the 18th Annual Celebrity Golf Classic & Banquet will be held at the St. Marys Golf and Country Club. Registration will take place at 10 a.m., tee-off will be at 11 a.m. and the banquet will begin at 5 p.m. Teams will be matched up with a celebrity and each player will receive a gift bag and have a chance to win fantastic prizes including a vehicle. If you don’t golf, you can still enjoy the banquet for only $60. The tournament is 55% sold-out, so don’t wait to book your foursome!
Saturday, June 21
New this year! A baseball street party from 9 a.m. to noon will take place in downtown St. Marys with several Blue Jays inflatables, Blue Jays alumni signing autographs, baseball authors signing their books and several other activities.
The induction ceremony begins at 1 p.m. up at the Hall of Fame. This year’s induction class includes Montreal Expos legends Tim Wallach, Dave Van Horne and Murray Cook, plus Toronto Blue Jays scout Jim Ridley. Special guests include emcee Rod Black, Fergie Jenkins, Paul Beeston and Pat Gillick. An autograph session will follow the ceremony. You can also come to the Hall of Fame grounds throughout the day and enjoy ball games, museum tours, auctions and a barbecue lunch.
The Hall is expecting the following celebrities for the festivities: 2014 inductees Tim Wallach, Dave Van Horne, Murray Cook and Jim Ridley’s family, plus Hall of Famers Fergie Jenkins, Steve Rogers, Jim Fanning, Pat Gillick, Paul Beeston, Don McDougall, Paul Quantrill, Claude Raymond and broadcaster Rod Black. Former major league players Billy Atkinson, Derek Aucoin, John Upham, Larry Landreth, Paul Spoljaric and legendary actor/singer Michael Burgess and former NHL player and coach Terry Crisp are also expected to attend.
Toronto Blue Jays Honda Super Camp on Rotary Field June 21 and 22
The Toronto Blue Jays Honda Super Camp will run during the afternoon on Rotary Field at the Hall of Fame on induction day. YOU MUST PRE-REGISTER ONLINE. Camp registration is limited to 150 participants per camp. Each participant will receive a Blue Jays hat, Blue Jays Baseball Academy t-shirt, Blue Jays Baseball Academy instructional manual and a 12-inch Alomar baseball glove. For more information, you can follow this link: http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/tor/baseball_academy/honda_super_camps.jsp
KIDS ON DECK SUMMER CAMP
Kids on Deck summer camp is a residential co-ed baseball camp for ages nine to 15 and it runs from July 6 to 12. The campers will spend a week learning baseball from some of the best coaches in Canada. For local residents, a day camp option is also available.
For more information or tickets for all these events, please email [email protected] or call 519-284-1838 or visit our website at www.baseballhalloffame.ca
