Grizzled vets are plentiful in the ranks of the Rick McDonald Men’s Fastball League.
So many of these fine gents were raised on the sport that once easily rivalled football and baseball and soccer for summer popularity in the nickel city.
These days, the “keepers of the game”, at least in the Sudbury area, will take to the diamonds with a family support group in the stands that could easily include their grandchildren.
That said, to a person, they are valiently striving to pass the torch, an effort that was evident as we stopped in to catch double-header action last week at the Lorne Brady Fields in Garson.
Truth be told, it’s a tradition that so often is passed on from one generation to the next.
Immersed in the sport since the age of 14, Mike Abitong still takes to the mound for the Sagamok Chiefs, set to celebrate his 63rd birthday when that special day comes around next. “I was an all-around player, taught by my uncles and my dad,” noted the man who leads the North Shore nine out for action.
“Now, we’ve brought the young boys over here to come and learn and get the experience from the Sudbury fastball league. They learn from us.”
Until recently, this crew would compete with other entries from the area that runs from Espanola on to Manitoulin Island and extends up from the shores of the North Channel. As that league faded, the RMMFL became a viable option for a combined team that is welcoming the junior-aged talent intent on competing at the all-Ontario native tournament in August.
“The boys are good at watching and learning from other players,” added Abitong. “And not just from our team but from the other teams as well.”
Bryan Welsh (Crushers) was just a few years older than Abitong when he found himself sequestered over to the fastball game. With a family background that originated in the area of Elk Lake (slightly west of Temiskaming Shores region), Welsh had travelled home, from Sudbury, to participate in a local fastball tournament three decades ago.
“If you are going to come and play in this tournament, you’re going to play in our league,” said the 49 year-old RMMFL mainstay, reminiscing on the message that was shared with him at the time. “I was 20 years old and haven’t looked back since.”
Very much a sporting figure in town, the head coach of both of the Collège Boréal Vipères varsity volleyball teams suggested that there is a need to check your ego at the door when the initiation to fastball begins, even for those who feel quite comfortable with a whole slew of athletic settings.
“I think it just takes patience – and a little bit of guts,” said Welsh with a laugh, an acknowledgment to that time when pitchers in these parts could strike fear into the hearts of my batsmen, such was the pace of the ball that was travelling in from far less than 40 feet by the time it’s released from the hand.
“When I first started, the pitchers were incredible,” he said. “We had guys like (Paul) Lizotte and (Brad) Rienguette. You’re going to strike out a lot when you start. It’s not the same as slo-pitch; you’re not going to have that (hitting) success.”
“As long as you can handle a little bit of advertisity, you will get it over time.”
Even those who are relative newcomers to the RMMFL are quick to concur.
A Sudbury native for the past five years, 32 year-old Matt Hastings (Bisons) tapped into an extensive developmental fastball path in the Simcoe County region, one that started in his youth (Tottenham-Beeton Minor Softball) and carried through to his early adulthood (Caledon East Men’s Fast-Pitch League).
“We were lucky enough to play fast-pitch growing up, from the time that I was seven years old,” noted Hastings, his team posting a 5-4 win over Sagamok last Thursday to hold firm in first place, their record of 9-2-1 good for a one point lead over the five-time defending champion Hounds.
“Fastball is a very humbling sport – but it’s a lot of fun,” Hastings continued. “You can’t let this sport discourage you. There are going to be hitting slumps. It’s the nature of the game, so staying positive is huge.”
It’s also among the key messages that he and all others who are so determined to keep the sport alive pass along to those who have the ability to do just that. “As a league, I have noticed we’ve got a lot more younger fellas playing here,” said Hastings. “We have players as young as 14 out here competing with us.”
“They’re awesome ball players.”
A similar legacy is alive and well with the Bisons, with Welsh joined on the roster by his son and team organizer Todd Parsons welcoming two of his off-spring to the fold. “We’re in our late forties, so we have kids that are 20 to 25,” said Welsh. “Trying to keep up with them, it helps keep us young.”
“It looks like this team could be here for a long time.”
Even those without families ties understand the concept of succession planning when it comes to fastball. “We have a really well balanced team, but mostly, a really good group of people,” stated Hastings. “That’s huge for our young players.”
“It’s tough if you have teammates who are overly critical and not giving you the grace to make mistakes. This is a game of mistakes.”
In closing, leave it to the elder of the trio who took time to talk a little fastball shared the wisdom that comes with life - and nearly fifty years spent on the diamonds.
“We’re here for these guys (the younger players) to learn to play ball and keep fastball going in the community,” said Abitong. “That’s the future of our game. It’s time for guys like myself to let them go on their own.”
Following are the latest updated standings as provided by Eric Legendre:
Bisons - 9-2-1 = 19 pointsHounds - 8-2-2 = 18 points
North Stars - 4-6-1 = 9 points
Crushers - 3-5-1 = 7 points
Sagamok - 1-10-1 = 3 points
Fans of fastball in the area might want to circle the dates of July 25th to 27th as the Lorne Brady Sports Complex plays host to the Sudbury Girls & Ladies Fastpitch Association Fastpitch Classic.
The tournament features both a girls houseleague division and an open women's division as well as a men's division.
