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PeeWee E - Ilderton Champions
PeeWee E - Ilderton Champions
PeeWee E - Ilderton Champions
PeeWee E - Ilderton Champions
written by Bruce Huff, in the London Free Press on Sunday, April 29th
Everyone's a pitcher at heart, even at 63
Ever watch a baseball team warm up? Usually things begin with the guys doing soft toss but it doesn't take long for the slider, the knuckle balls and the hooks to appear.
Everybody's a pitcher at heart, it seems. No matter what the players say, there is an inborn obsession that drives a force that almost breathes the magic words, "Hey, coach, I'm ready!"
Take Bob Pearson, for instance.
Here's a man with an outstanding athletic pedigree. He's a former London Majors outfielder-catcher, a Montreal Alouettes fifth-round draft choice, a member of the 1959 Western Mustangs, who won the first national football title; a university wrestling champion . . . and that's just for starters. Now, you should add "senior men's baseball pitcher" to his portfolio.
At 63, Pearson plays in the London Senior Men's League. You'll usually find him behind the mask at his customary catching post.
"And now, I'm learning to pitch," he says. "The seniors' rules allow a pitcher to throw no more than two innings. Somebody noticed that I was throwing the ball back to the pitcher harder than it was coming in, so it was suggested that I try pitching. It's a change, but it's been a lot of fun."
Pearson a Strathroy product who continues to live and work in that town, is also the umpire assigner for London & District Baseball Association (LDBA).
Mike Mitchell is supervisor of officials and Bill Sevier is treasurer.
Baseball has been in Pearson's blood since he was a youngster and he comes by it naturally. His late father Winston was a longtime baseball administrator in both Western Counties and Ontario circles and was a familiar face at games and meetings.
"Baseball's remained my favourite sport," says Pearson. "And while I enjoy playing, I also like working with kids and with the umpires."
Yesterday, he conducted a Level 1 umpiring clinic for about 60 people for Baseball Ontario.
One area where Pearson would like to see development is at the senior men's level.
"There's a big gap between the ages of 21 and 30," he says, echoing the words of Dan Pulham, LDBA convenor (President) and London's Sportsman of 2000.
"There are plenty of players coming up from minor ball," he says. "They just need somebody to organize some teams for them. After they reach 30 years, they can more to the seniors league."
Helping to fill the void is Southwestern Counties League which includes the London Lakeside Lizards, London Stingrays and Byron Seniors, along with the Tillsonburg Red Sox and Exeter Mohawks. Opening day is at LDBA Field (Adelaide and Windermere) when the Red Sox play the Stingrays at 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 13.
The eight-team London seniors (30 plus) league starts next Sunday. There are still openings for players. Vern Eldridge (681-8502) has details.
