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2007 NEWS ARCHIVES
September 21st, 2007 - Hobos and X-men take game one with "lucky number 7" in the score... It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
September 19th, 2007 - Mud Hens come out on top...advance to Legends Championship, now face X-Men... It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
September 17th, 2007 - Marauders take series to Game 5…Mud Hens need to re-focus in ‘All or Nothing game’ Last night in BVB Legends Semi Final action the Marauders and Mud Hens finally got to play Game 4 after being postponed three times due to poor weather… With the Marauders looking to extend the series to Game 5, they came out swinging as they scored 6 runs in the first inning and eventually jumped out to a 16 – 0 lead before signs of life were shown by the Mud Hens who scored 3 runs to make the final 16 – 3… The win by the Marauders have given them the momentum in the series after being down 2 – 0 to the Mud Hens… Both teams look to advance to their “first” Legends Championship when they face each other on Wednesday September 19th at Nelson Park with game time being 7:00pm… The Marauders are actually not new to the Legends finals as the team previously was known as the Pirates which has played in the finals back in 2003 and 2004… They were crowned the champs back in 2004 when they defeated the Cubs 3 games to 1; now the Mud Hens are an expansion team this season, but most of the team members were part of last year’s Indians club who lost the Legends Championship to the Cardinals in 5 games… The team that is sitting on the sideline since September 12th and waiting for this series to end is the X-Men... The X-Men made their way to this year’s final by sweeping the Indians in 3 straight games and they are also familiar with the Legend Championship as they won the title back in 2005 when they swept the now defunct Tigers in 3 straight games… Tonight’s game has the making for some intense action as both teams fight for their playoff lives… With the final semi-final series wrapping up on Wednesday, the final Vintage and Legend division rounds will start on Friday September 21st. Watch for updates on the game board as games are set. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
September 16th, 2007 - Sox take the series to move forward, Marauders take game three in extra innings... The Marauders and MudHens kicked off game 3 for the fourth time. The weather and yard held strong so the game commenced. To quote the MudHens roving reporter’s story “ The Marauders came out swinging and threw everything they had at the MudHens as it was do or die for them. The MudHens were plagued by some early defensive lapses and some base running gaffs that slowed their momentum. Kenny Collett started the game for the MudHens and gave two strong innings and then hit a two run homerun in the bottom of the second. Solid pitching by Paul Thomas and a gritty superb effort by Jason Saker gave the MudHens a chance to win it in the 8th inning but it did not materialize. A hard fought game that went back and forth and required extra innings to decide with the eventual winner being the Marauders by a score of 14-13.” Game #4 continues on Monday at 7pm at Millcroft. The Cardinals and Red Sox hit the field to decide a winner for game 5 of the series. The Sox hit the bats hard, taking the score to 4-0 by the top of the 4 th inning. Cardinals’ pitcher, Mark Thomas worked the counts to hold back further damage but, a few costly errors let the Sox keep the lead. The Cardinals hit the sticks in the 4 th inning to bring the score back to a 2 run gap but, subsequent innings were shallow. With the score at 8-3 in the top of the 7 th, the Cards were in a do or die situation. Continuing his track record at the plate, Cardinals #51 Russ Pereira, hit a 2 run bomb over the left side but it was not enough to even things out. The Sox took the game at 8-5 and the semi-final series to advance to the Vintage finals against the Hobos. A great series and good success story for the Cards in 2007. As the gap closes and the final series rounds are determined, it proves that there is some serious baseball played in BVB. With three complete semi-final rounds and one still to be decided, the chess match we call baseball is kicking up some dust. Keep your attention on the game board as dates are set for the final rounds at the yard. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
September 14 th, 2007 – Hobos take the series and a chance for a three-peat, Hens/Marauders washed out of game #3 for third time… The air is cool but the action is hot folks. The Hobos and Yankees squared off for game #4 tonight and the men in black were looking to take no prisoners. With the Yankees taking an early 3 run lead in the third inning, the game looked to be tight. The Hobos were up 2-1 in the series and would not let another game go by. In the bottom of the 5 th inning, the Yankees pitching lost its foot hold that previously left the Hobos off the scoreboard. The Hobos bounced out a 5 run inning to take the lead. The Hobos pitching then switched roles and turned on the gas to keep the Yanks from scoring position. With another two runs taken in the 6 th, the Hobos took to holding any Yanks advances on the bags; winning the game at a 7-3 decision. With the 4 th game, the Hobos take the series 3-1 and advance to the Vintage finals against either the Red Sox or the Cardinals, depending on their outcome. The Hens / Marauders game experienced rain again for the third time. With the MudHens up 2-0 and eager to sweep the series, it was a letdown when the umpires called the game after the first half of the 1 st inning due to mound conditions. This was the third rainout/delay for game 3 of the series and a rally killer for both teams. Game #3 is now on Sunday at 4pm at Millcroft. Keep an eye out for the rest of the series. With two complete and two still to be decided, a game 5 finish for one and a slow crawl for another will keep your attention over the next few nights. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
September 13th, 2007 - Sox take game 4 to even out the score and take the series the full distance... With the Sox down 2-1 in the series, their backs were against the wall and they were eager to even things out or go down swinging. The Cardinals pitching displays signs of weakness due to the length of the series and the Sox capitalized on it. With continued hitting streaks early in the game, including a home run by #21 Adam Smith, the Sox took a jump and held back Cards advances. The 6th inning brought a 6 run advance to the score for the Sox as the Cards incurred costly errors and gapped hits. Not counting the Cardinals out, their strong hitting staff tried to produce runs. #51 Russ Pereira laced a home run over the left field fence but the spark was a solo shot and it did not shine on any further Cards bats. The Sox took the game at a 15-4 decision. The Sox will produce a strong outing on Sunday and the Cardinals will have to eliminate the defensive errors and reevaluate their pitching rollout to keep them at bay. It will be a great game for both will be laying it out on the table to move onward in the Vintage division. The Cardinals and Red Sox square off for their 5th and final game in the series on Sunday at 7pm at Nelson. This Friday night brings us the 3rd game of the Marauders / MudHens series with a 2-0 lead on the Hens. With back to back rainouts and anticipated rain again for Friday, the teams are chomping at the bit to get things done. The Yankees / Hobos series continues on Friday night as well with their game 4 with the Hobos up 2-1. Head out to Millcroft and Nelson to watch the action. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
September 12th, 2007 - X-Men sweep the series while Cardinals take the "hump" game at full speed... With the summer season creeping away from us and the cool wet fall weather moving in, the thought of the season winding down is upon us. With two series rained out on Tuesday, the teams are chomping at the bit to move forward and produce a decision. If weather holds of, the gates will open and the teams may get their wish. The X-Men / Indians series was able to move forward tonight. With the X-Men up 2-0, the Indians were under pressure to produce a win. The X-Men pushed hard right out of the gate and were up by 10-2 at the end of the 4th. The Indians were successful in holding of further X-Men damage and tried to produce runs themselves but, came up short. The X-Men took the game at 11-6 and the Legends series in a 3 game sweep. They will now move on to play the winner of the Marauders/MudHens series. The Cardinals and Red Sox squared off for their 3rd game in the series. With a 1-1 status, both teams were looking to take the 3rd game to set up future positioning. The Cards took an early lead despite the Red Sox pitching. The Sox attempted to muscle out runs as well but, the bats were silenced. Some timely defensive plays by the Cardinals and strong closer pitching by #18 Thomas, kept the Sox away from the board for the last half of the game. The Cardinals took the game at 8-3 and the series is now 2-1. With a back to back game on the schedule due to rain outs, it will be hard for teams to keep life in their bullpens. Defensive playing will be the name of the game for these strong batting teams. This Thursday night brings us the fourth game of the Cardinals / Red Sox series with a 2-1 lead on the Cards. Head out to Nelson to watch the action. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
September 11th, 2007 - BVB Semi-Final games washed out with gail force wind and rain.. With the Marauders / MudHens and Yankees / Hobos kicking off early inning play, the clouds rolled in hard and fast along with gail force wind and rain to make things a complete mess on the field and wash out the games. With both games not complete, the counter gets reset and the teams will square off on Friday to try again. It was a disappointment to all teams for it slowed momentum but, they will get their chance to play soon enough. This Wednesday brings us the third game of the X-Men / Indians and the Cardinals / Red Sox series. Head out to Nelson and Millcroft to watch the action. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
September 9th, 2007 - BVB Semi-Finals three quarter wash-out but, Hobos squeak out a win.. The first set of BVB games were a wash due to field conditions and weather at Nelson for the Cardinals / Red Sox series and the Indians / X-Men series. The MudHens / Marauders series got postponed due to field conditions at Millcroft but, the Hobos / Yankees series continued with some convincing from the baseball Gods. With the Hobos / Yankees series at 1-1, the teams were both primed and ready to hit the field with gusto. The Hobos took an early lead but, the Yanks would not go down without a say in the matter. The Hobos, who show that they will never give up on any opportunity, took advantage of costly errors by the Yankees to take the lead back in the bottom of the sixth inning to a score of 9-7. With last chance efforts, the Yankees attempted to put scoring runners in place to keep them alive. Bringing the score up to 9-8, the chances were in hand and the dice were ready to be rolled. With men on first and third for the Yankees, Hobos pitcher Doug Chrysler took the last batter to task, striking him out to take the game. The 9-8 win for the Hobos put them to a 2-1 lead in the series. A big win with the teams hitting a high point for the "hump point game" of the series. This Tuesday brings us the third game of the MudHens / Marauders series and the fourth for the Hobos / Yankees. The Cardinals / Red Sox and Indians / X-men series continues on Wednesday. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
September 7th, 2007 - X-Men and Hens go 2-0 while the Red Sox and Yanks even out the series.. With four games on the slate, Friday night BVB baseball under the lights kept fans on the edge of their seat. The early Legends division series with the Red Sox and Cardinals displayed the batting prowess that both teams have in their roster. With the Sox behind after a first game loss, they were ready to gain ground. The Cards were not going to go easy with Thomas and Mahar both taking home runs but, it was not easy to keep the Sox away from the board. With a 6 run inning in the third, the Sox took the lead and continued efforts to hold the Cards down. The Sox evened up the series with a 11-8 win. The X-Men and Indians series started their second game tonight. The X-Men jumped out early with a 6 run first inning and never looked back. After the first inning, the Indians bats fell silent until the 5th with a 6 run score and the final inning which ignited a hitting streak. Due to time, the rally inning was not enough, keeping the score to a 19-13 decision for the X-Men. With the series at 2-0, Sunday is do or die for the Tribe. The late Vintage series with the Hobos and Yankees showed that the Yanks were not going anywhere without a fight. The Yankees defense took the edge of the usually ringing Hobos bats. Offensively, the Yanks pushed hard, scratching runs on the score board in the first four innings, including a Grand Slam hit in the third giving a 7 run inning by Scott Ranney and a HR by Jamie McIntyre as well. The Hobos began to turn the tables in the last few innings but, their scoring attempts were not enough to close the gap. The Yanks too the win at 11-5, evening the series to 1-1 going into game 3 on Sunday. The late Legends series had the Hens and Marauders kicking off game 2. The scuttlebutt around the bleachers rings of questions as to "where were these Hens before?" With a first game win, the MudHens had the Marauders pushing hard to even things up. The Hens bats were built of continuous rallies in the first game and they showed the same in the second. With the Marauders keeping the Hens away from the board in the first half of the inning and putting one up of their own in the last half, the Hens showed they would not be held for long. Hens #16 Selwyn Everts, BVB 2007 HR Champ, took a 2nd inning lead off hit over the fence to even things up. The Marauders were light on errors defensively and the Hens just found holes to put the ball when needed. With the score at 11-1 in the 5th for the Hens, the Marauders started to gain ground back in similar fashion to the first game but, it was not enough. The Hens took the game to a 16-7 decision and the series at 2-0. With two series evened out and two close to the breaking point, the baseball will be exciting. Come out to the parks to see the next set of games on Sunday September 9th at Nelson and Millcroft. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
September 5th, 2007 - X-Men squeeze series starting game and Cardinals thump out a large first game win against the Sox... The first games of the other Legends and Vintage series kicked off Wednesday night. The X-Men and Indians battled out their first match at Millcroft. With the X-Men taking a strong lead at 7-1 by the third inning, the game looked to be in hand. The Indians inched back runs which included a 4 run 6th inning but, it was not enough to swap leaders. The X-Men took the game with a final of 10-8. The Red Sox faced the Cardinals for their first game in the Vintage semi-finals. The teams took to the field hard and tried to hold scoring attempts off the board. The Cardinals took the lead to 6-1 by the 3rd inning and held strong including three home runs by Gilleland, Hodgson and Pereira. The Sox fought back including a HR by #11 Joe Davis but, got shut out after the 4th letting the Cards take the game at a score of 11-3. With one game completed for each of the semi-final series, the BVB action will continue. It is still early to determine winners and teams will be fighting to gain ground. Come out to the parks to see the next set of games on Friday September 7th at Nelson and Millcroft. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
September 4th, 2007 - Hens spin an early win and Hobos take the Yanks to task... Sorry folks, I am back on the air after a long hiatus from sport writing. My rowdy, boisterous self has been trampled down with some issues outside the yard but, things are almost cleared up.... just in time for the 2007 BVB play-offs thank God. Your voice of BVB will continue to report the action as quickly as it happens. The air was starting to get cool with the September nights at the yard but, the baseball in BVB is just heating up. With the 2007 BVB play-offs kicking off tonight, the game action was awesome. With the Legends A series starting with the MudHens facing off against the Marauders, it was quickly realized that the Hens would not go down easy. The Hens came out of the gate swinging scoring multiple runs in the first few innings. The Marauders heavy bats attempted to match points but, they could not produce runs with the solid defensive efforts by the Hens. With the score at 10-1 for the Hens going into the top of the 6th, it looked like the game was winding down but, the Marauders kicked up a dust storm and scored 6 runs through gap hits, some odd bounces and two errors by the Hens. With the Marauders trailing by 3 in the final inning, the Hens held them back to take the first game of the series. The final was 10-7 for the MudHens. The Vintage Series A kicked off game 1 with the Hobos squaring off against their arch rivals, the Yankees. The score was held tight for the first three innings until the Hobos busted the gate open and took the score to 8-2 by mid-point of the 6th inning. The Yankees pushed back hard, scoring runs of their own but, fell short in the final inning to close the game at 8-5 for the Hobos. Both the Hobos and Yankees scratched home runs during the game with Mike Bennett (Hobos) and Scott Ranney (Yanks) knocking balls over the fence. The Legends and Vintage Series B games kick off Wednesday night with the Indians facing the X-Men and the Red Sox versus the Cardinals. Be sure to come out and watch the action. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
August 18th, 2007 - Words from the President of BVB... B.V.B. - Home of the National Champion 49ers B.V.B. is proud to announce that after many months of meetings, fundraising, games, and practices and travel all of our hard work and efforts have paid off. The “Black 49ers” are the National Champions. This is the highest honour awarded to Competitive Baseball players 35 years and over in Canada . The Blacks not only won but managed to enjoy only the sweet taste of victory as they went undefeated (6-0) and played some of the most intense, flawless high level baseball expected at this level. (2 extra inning games and a suicide squeeze to end the Championship Final) There were 16 Teams from across Canada gathered this year (2007) to compete. With 275 plus of the finest Vintage players in the Country chasing down the honour of being the #1 team, competition was high. While Burlington teams have competed over the Years for National honours, this is B.V.B’s first trip to the top of the podium and first under the 49er banner that our teams wear with honour in memory of the late and former league member Paul Depodesta who wore #49. The Black 49ers were built from teams that play in B.V.B. and consisted of the following players… Casey Cosgrove (Hobos) Mgr/ Player, Lee Mackey (Red Sox) Coach/Player , Dan Pokoradi (Mud Hens) G.M./Player, Mike Bennett (Hobos) Stephen Blanchet (Marauders), Mark Caron (Red Sox), Craig Carroll (Hobos), Joe Davis (Red Sox), Gord Harris (Marauders), Jay Lack (Hobos), Jason McKay (Mud Hens), Randy Stanbury (Hobos), Jason McKenna (Red Sox), Mark Thomas (Cardinals), Richard Stanbury (Hobos), Paul Webber (Red Sox),and LarryHallett (Yankees). The Grey 49ers (44+), while not having the same level of success as there younger brothers, they managed to bring home the Tier 2 National Championship that was re-named this year in honour of Nationals founder and current past President, Phil Beaudoin. With 14 teams in the 44+ division, there was a draw of 225 plus players from around the country. The Grey’s finished the Tournament 3-3 and will not have to look far to find a measuring stick to gauge their 2008 status as the Tier 1 champions in the 44 loop are none other than there neighbors to the East; the Oakville Golden A’s. The Grey 49ers included the following players… Jim Hambrook (Hobos) Mgr/Player, Terry Wilkinson (Marauders) Coach/Player, Doug (BO) Cameron (Hobos), Blake Fisher (Hobos), Carmen Gassi (Red Sox), Jim Harrow (X-Men), Leo King (X-Men), Dennis Mahoney-Bruer (Mud Hens), TimRowden (Marauders), Brad Scott (Hobos), Eric Sutherland (Marauders), Paul Thompson (Mud Hens), Rob Whitenect (X-Men),and Norm Watts Both teams carried an extra player on there shoulders throughout the tournament as the spirit of #13; the late Miles Fleming was clearly evident. We lost Miles this year due to an accident. He was a founding member of B.V.B. and an active member of our Nationals Grey 49ers squad. Both the Fleming Family and extended friends were ecstatic at the results for baseball was an important part of his life. Finally, all of the above could not have happened without the help and support of all ourSponsors, Family’s and Friends who threw there efforts behind the League and believed like the rest of us that their time and money was going to a worthy venture. You too are partners in B.V.B and you can count yourselves as part of this historical moment for our League. Next year we will look forward to competing in the Host City of Hamilton, Ontario. In the meantime we will all enjoy and respect the Honour of being NATIONAL CHAMPIONS.
June 18th, 2007 - What better way to celebrate Father's Day than play in the yard... BVB's tradition of playing a full slate of games on Father's Day continued this year. The early Nelson game had the Red Sox battling the Hobos. The Red Sox batting continued pace with BVB rookie, Richard Wright (#8) taking two past the fence in the game. The pitching also showed strong as well, keeping the typically strong Hobos lineup off the bases. The Sox took their 4th win at a 9-2 score. The early Ireland game had the Yankees facing the Marauders but, I guess the dinner and drink on a sunny Father's Day was too attractive for the Marauders defaulted the game due to a short roster. The combination of the Hobos losing and the Yanks coasting a win, the Yankees take the first spot in the standings again. The late Ireland game had the X-Men battling the Cardinals. The boxscores racked up ticks on the paper with the first inning. BVB "rookie" player Jim Harrow took his third straight leadoff homer putting him into the top ranks of the stats. Cards, Russ Pereira also hit his third season home run in the game. The X-Men continued their scoring efforts through subsequent innings while keeping the Cards back to single run attempts. The Cards lost the game to a 10-13 score with the X-Men putting themselves on the .500 PCT bubble. The late Nelson game had the Cubs and MudHens squaring off for the first time this season. The game started tight with both keeping things within the lines. The gates opened up with the Cubs outfield struggling to keep the Hens batting in check. This included a 3 run bomb by #16 Selwyn Everts. The Cubs pushed to come back, including a 2 run rocket by #23 Ryan Phillips that landed somewhere in the other neighborhood but, the Hens continued to bat and take scoring advantage on errors. The Hens took the game at a 21-7 score. Next up on the league lineup is our brothers, the Welland Legends versus the Red Sox at Millcroft at 7PM on Tuesday for an exhibition game. Friday has a full board again at Ireland and Nelson with the RedSox vs. Hobos and MudHens vs. Indians for the early set and the Cubs vs. Cardinals and Marauders vs. Yanks for the late set. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
June 16th, 2007 - BVB plays forward to honour and support. BVB's Friday night kicked off with a full set of 4 games, all at Ireland Park, bringing the majority of the League together in more than a physical manner. To superbly sum up the evening, below is a quick snap from the BVB MudHens' club reporter, Brash O'Toole' story to review the night's action. "The accident that occurred the previous Friday taking long-time BVB member and Hobo, Miles Fleming was still painfully fresh in many minds. The fact that it occurred at Ireland Park and the schedule called for 8 of the leagues 9 teams to play there (the first time in two years) was either a cruel twist of fate or as some like to view it, a fortunate coincidence. The reason for the latter had more to do with what the league, and more importantly the Hobos, needed to some how come to terms with the tragedy. As observed, everybody was all too aware of the irony, and a general pensive feeling dominated the atmosphere gradually giving way to just playing ball. It was a chance for an entire league to begin the healing process. With the help of friends, family and many former players lacing them back up one more time to play for Miley, it was an opportunity to change the memory of Ireland Park. Many teams chose to honour Miley in their own way, whether it was hanging up their team's #13 for the night, a simple piece of white tape with the #13 on it, or the two moments of silence before the 6pm and again at 8:30pm games. It would have probably made the man himself wonder what all the fuss was about.........”just play ball”.....would have been his likely response. One thing was evident, not a lot was spoken about what team won, what the scores were or who got what hit, it was more a time to remember the man and bring the league closer together, and that was last Friday at the ballpark." As O'Toole's summary of the night stated, the games were truly secondary but, this is baseball and stats mean everything in the long run. To review the two early games, the Marauders faced the RedSox and the Hobos battled the Yankees. Despite a whopping 4 HR's by the Sox squad, the Marauders took advantage of multiple errors and stale pitching to command the game to a 13-9 finish. The Hobos hit the field with a somber mood but, kept their chins high to face the Yankees. The game was kept close but, the Yanks kept an upper hand to finish it at a 5-2 win. The late games had the Cubs matched with the X-Men and the Indians facing the MudHens. The X-Men took an early jump out of the box with a 3 run lead after the first. The Cubs picked up the pace later in the game but, could not seal the deal, letting the men in black take the win at 7-6. The Indians took advantage of multiple errors caused by the MudHens in the first few innings. The MudHens took the score to a one run gap but, left the game hanging with bases loaded and no more time to squeeze another inning. The Indians took the game at 7-6. The night was still strong despite the close of of the scorebooks. A number of fans, friends and players hung around the park to be together as a BVB family and reflect on recent events. Many thanks to all the BVB supporters who chipped in to help out Friday. With another full slate on Sunday, the action should be fun to watch. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
June 15th, 2007: I would like to take a few minutes at this time to pass along some final thoughts in regards to the sudden passing of our great friend and team mate Miles Fleming. Speaking on behalf of B.V.B., all members and friends please take a moment and thank yourselves for your tremendous out pouring of humanity over this past week. From the first moment of this terrible tragedy where friends and acquaintances rushed to the scene to assist and comfort Miles to the last person leaving Kings Court and offering hearty hand shakes and Hugs. It is said that in every cliché there are different measures of truth.” There is Strength in Numbers” is possibly the most truthful and fitting cliché I can think of at this time. This great circle of Friends from across the country and abroad allowed Susan and all Family and Friends to stand tall and gain the strength to move forward. I received a letter from a friend today that was littered with so many appropriate phrases I will pass some along. “We will not be remembered by our words but rather by our kind deeds.” Trust me after this past week, there will be a lot of people remembered. Tonight, B.V.B will continue on the delicate path to closure. The League will run a full schedule of game’s and play on. This has been questioned, and for good reason. However, after discussion with fellow HOBO team mates, we all knew that to turn away and not face this straight on would not be what Miles would want. Each game will pause and have a moment of silence and we will attempt to move forward. “Life is not measured by the Breaths we take…But by the moments that take our Breath” Miles offered us so many of these that it would be impossible to not borrow from him and to pass it along. The Summer will move forward … as you know time waits for no one. Please take the time to embrace the friendships that you have and just as importantly, the new ones. We will never forget our fallen friend and only hope that all those who passed his way gained something along the route.
June 13th, 2007 - A night of lucky number 13 was a definitive salute to a great one... With a resonating sorrow felt throughout the League this evening due to the recent loss of one of our own, BVB made every attempt to move forward to honour the spirit of the man and game we all love. Both league games began this evening with a moment of silence to respect our fallen comrade and reflect on his existence. Like a badge of honour,the winning scores made you reflect on recent events and know those that pass are still watching. No truer way of showing respect...let me explain... The early Millcroft game had the Cardinals facing the Indians for the first time this season. The 4-1 Cards took early leaps forward with the runs and never looked back. The Indians bats went silent with a strong pitching bullpen presented by the Cards. With an 11-4 differential in the hits recorded, the Cardinals took the game to end at an uncanny 13-0 (#13 was miles Fleming's jersey number). The win bumped the Cards to the two spot in the standings; only one game behind the 6-0 Hobos. The late game had the Red Sox battling the Yankees. With the Sox on the .500 bubble, they were hungry to catch a win. The Yankees took an early jump in the first inning but, the Sox battled back with matching runs. The Yanks showed signs of weakness with a number of defensive errors, six in total for the game, letting the Sox to jump ahead. The Sox hitting squad continued to push the runs until they took the lead. With #30 Dave Maunder on the hill to close, the Sox got their pregame wish to take the game. The final score was an eerie 13-9, pushing the Sox up another half game. It goes to show you folks. Some people think baseball players and fans are off their rocker when they speak of superstitious rituals or mojo that is part of the foundation in this great game. Tonight proved to be a fitting example that the baseball Gods can prove their existence. Miley was tipping his hat to BVB from above tonight as he watched the games. The next set of games will be Friday night with 8 teams squaring off at Ireland 'C' & 'D' to continue the race for the playoffs. Come out to show your support of this great League. Side note: Please note the viewing and services for Miles Fleming. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
June 10th, 2007 - It is with great sadness that this BVB sports writer has to publish a story such as this but, his character warrants the respect and honor that can not be overlooked by our great league membership. One of our founding players of BVB, Miles Fleming, #13 on the Hobos, has passed away at the young age of 49 this evening. A comrade and player in the league to many BVB teams and fans; his presence will be greatly missed. Heading to the yard to join his Hobo clan post game this evening, an accident occurred on his motorcycle entering the parking lot at Ireland Park between games. Despite the valiant efforts by many friends and emergency workers, Miles lost the battle to stay with us. “The baseball Gods called him up for a bigger game”, stated one BVB member. How true it must be for we were not ready to lose a friend so quickly but, now we must honor the time we had with him.
Miles “Miley” Fleming, had been involved in Burlington baseball for most of his life, making as many friends as he did plays along the way. His character on and off the field was as strong as anyone could expect. For those that knew him, he always went out of his way to greet you with a firm handshake or "knuckle touch" that followed shortly with a gruff voiced greeting to make sure your presence was acknowledged. Over the years, I myself have experienced the presence Miley had with those that knew him. To a stranger, his gruff voice and "say what you think" personality would not have you immediately focus in on his true self. But once you spent time with him, you would quickly understand that he had nothing to hide and that is rare quality these days. He was admired and loved by his tight knit Hobos team the most. A founding member of the squad, all players and members looked forward to getting "Miley's view" on a post game review or during a discussion of world events. His foundation was strong with the Hobos, with every member knowing that the rough exterior was only added character to the man that he truly was. It will definitely be a difficult time for that brotherhood to lose one of their own. Some words for thought....I once heard a phrase that goes something like "Now and Forever are the words to remember someone. Remember them now as to what they brought forward to you in this world and forever honor those memories to make sure they are not forgotten when you relate to others."
It occurs to me as I am sitting here writing this story thinking of Miley, he's probably somewhere getting an earful from Pauley (Paul DePodesta #49 Hobos – passed 2005) about his recent plays on the field, and no doubt working his way up to a sharp response once he collects his thoughts. Good luck in the Big Show Miley! You will be greatly missed by all BVB players and friends alike. Show the old brotherhood how it is done and save us a spot on the bench, will yah kid!
Services and celebration of Miley’s life will be announced as soon as they can. Please respect the family’s privacy during this trying time. We will publish information on the website as soon as it is given and provide any further formal information when possible.
If you have any thoughts, pictures or words of condolences, please email them to HallOfFame@bvbbaseball.com and we post them for everyone to view. Recent Announcement: Funeral visitation and services for Miles Fleming will be held at Smith Funeral Home at 1167 Guelph Line, Burlington, ON.... Visitation will be held on Wednesday June 13th, 2007 from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. Services will be held on Thursday June 14th, 2007 at 11:00am. Cremation to follow. A wake reception to celebrate Miles will be held at the Kings Court on King Rd. in Aldershot following services. If desired, memorial contributions to the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA or to the charity of your choice would be sincerely appreciated. June 10th, 2007 - A very trying night for all of BVB... The night began as the perfect setting to play the game we all love but, it was not meant to be... The early game set had the Marauders versus the Cubs at Nelson. The Marauders could not find the light switch and were dragged into a 9-7 loss to the Cubs; knocking them (Marauders) down a notch in the standings and putting the Cubs on the hunt for further standings climbs. The early Ireland game had the Indians face the 5-0 Hobos. the Indians took an early 2 run jump in the first inning but, the Hobos put the game into gear subsequent innings by shutting down the Tribe's offensive measures for the rest of the game. The Hobos #33 Colin Lalonde, hit his second home run for the season helping to close the game at 7-3 for the men in black. The late Nelson game had the X-Men battling the Red Sox. The Sox, eager for a win to take them further up the standings, closed out a solid hitting game at 20-3, getting them to pop up to the 4th position in the ranks. The late Ireland game had the 4-1 Yanks facing the Mudhens. The teams started hard at each other with each driving hits but, leaving men on base. The unfortunate circumstances surrounding the evening due to events that occurred right before game time, put a noticeable damper on the mood in the field. With heavy hearts, the teams were hoping for the best for Miles in his trying time. Heading into the 5th, the MudHens had a one run lead but, the Yankees took advantage of some untimely errors and scooped them right back. The MudHens hit around the Yanks to slim the gap but, a number of oppertunities were not capitalized with subsequent hits. The Yanks took the game with a final score of 10-9, retaining their 2nd spot in the standings and pushing the Hens a full game back. The night was not a normal one, with one of our own lost to the battle we all call life. Miles "Miley" Fleming, #13 on the Hobos, passed away during the evening. All of BVB's commrades were focused on thoughts and prayers for Miley and the night's game activities became insignificant. More news to follow on this tragic event as it is provided. Tuesday night is next in the lineup with the Cardinals facing the Indians and the Yanks battling the Red Sox at Millcroft. The action starts at 6pm...come out to watch. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
June 8th, 2007 - BVB slated games get a toss due to approaching weather... BVB teams and fans look forward to the Friday night set of games after a long week but, it was not in the cards tonight. Due to the storm front that rolled in late afternoon, BVB officials called off the early and late game sets of the MudHens vs. the Marauders and Red Sox vs. X-Men. The games will be rescheduled for later in the season. Next up is a full slate of games on Sunday with only the Cardinals having the night off. The forecast looks clear so the percentages are with us. With the games set up with standings gaps between opposing teams, the outcomes could provide movement in the ranks if there is an upset. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
June 5th, 2007 - Hobos take #5 with the Marauders, Indians register their first win keeping the Cubbies in the basement.. The early game at Millcroft had the Marauders taking on the 4-0 Hobos. The Marauders were keeping pace for the first few innings but, lost their groove as the game progressed. The Hobos took their usual hitting lineup to rack scores on the board and take the win. The official score was not submitted at post time but, the Hobos have taken the lead in the standings to a full game in front of the Cards and Yankees who are biting at their heels. The Marauders drop back to fourth with a .500 record. The late game at Millcroft had the Indians and Cubs playing their 5th regular season game, both having a record of 0-4. The Indians jumped out ahead with a 8 run lead by the second inning when the Cubs returned fire with a 6 spot in the third. The Indians continued their scoring into the next few innings to bring the game to a 14-9 standoff with the Cubs still able to swing at the plate. The Cubs turned a few hits to score one and put two more men on base but with two out, the last swing of the night was caught, leaving them stranded to 14-10 decision for the Indians. Their first of the season win, bumping them to the 8th spot and one game ahead of the Cubs. Next up are the MudHens vs. Marauders and the Red Sox vs. X-Men at Nelson on Friday night. With the four teams grouped in the middle of the pack, the outcome of the games could prove to be a decision maker for standings. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
June 3rd, 2007 - Yanks drive down the Cards win streak, Hens take their first BVB win and driving rain hampers attempts to complete the night.... The early game at Ireland was a smoker with the Yankees taking on the 4-0 Cardinals. The Cards game out of the gate with a 3 run lead but, the Yankees hitting took over with a run leading four spot in the second. Yankees pitching constructed of Jamie MacIntyre, Brad Tupper and Marc Messier combined was a great performance against a quality hitting team in the Cards. The Cards bats were kept down while the Yanks lit up the yard with Grand Slams by Marc Messier and Scott Ranney; including Ian Down's continued perfect season by going 3 for 3 at the plate. The Yanks mercyed the Cards in the 5th at 19 to 3 just before the rain started to let loose. The early Nelson game had the X-Men facing the 0-2 MudHens. The game began with both teams hitting the ball to a 4 all tie in the 2nd inning. The MudHens bats and scoring efforts woke up in the 3rd to take a 4 run lead that included a 3 run bomb by #44 Ken Collett. The rain started to slow play in the fourth while the score advanced to a 6 run lead for the Hens. With the X-Men at the plate, the Hens defensive and pitching efforts could not weather the heavy rains that fell. The X-Men began to inch up the slack including a bomb by #44 Matt Froese but, the officials called the game due to conditions, rolling the score back to the 4th. The Hens took their first BVB win at 13-7. The later games consisting of the Indians vs.Cubs at Ireland and the Red Sox vs. Hobos was called due to weather conditions, closing out the rest of the nights' BVB action. Next up are the Marauders vs. Hobos and Indians vs. Cubs at Millcroft on Tuesday night. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....
June 1st, 2007 - X-Men take their second win over the Cubs and Cardinals keep their streak moving forward with a win against the Hens. The early game at Nelson Friday night had the Cubs matched up against the X-Men. With the Cubs heading into their 4th regular season game, they were itching for a win. The Cubs put up a fight but, the X-Men took the lead and finished their second season win at 7-3. The 3-0 Cardinals took on the new kids in the sandlot; the BVB MudHens. The hard hitting Cards took an early 6 run lead in the first inning which included a two run bomb by Jeff Gilleland (Cards-#88). The Hens pushed to return the score with a 4 run inning to follow but, the Cards continued to hit in runs. Cards #24 Jay Hodgeson also opened the 5th inning with a two run shot over the fence. Heading into their second regular season game, the Hens were very weak at the plate and did not match up well against the heavy hitting Cards who are pumped up on a winning start. My predictions stated in my last article were correct for the outcome. The Cards closed out the game at 12-4 in the 7th, keeping them on top of the standings going into game 5. The BVB game slate is full for Sunday night with 4 matchups on the go. The MudHens face the X-Men and the Red Sox battle the Hobos at Nelson while the Cards face the Yanks and the Indians square off against the Cubs at Ireland. With a little luck from the baseball Gods, we will get the games in despite the weather reports. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....soon...
May 27th, 2007 - Hobos and Red Sox battle it out, Cards keep a streak, Yanks raid the Tribe and the Marauders push away X-Men attempts. The baseball Gods did not look in our favor during the afternoon on Sunday with heavy bouts of rain and wind but, the clouds broke early enough to present healthy game weather. The Cardinals faced the Cubs in the early Ireland game. The Cards took an early 2nd inning lead and never looked back running an 8 run lead by the 7th. The final score was 10-2 for the Cards, giving them a 3-0 winning streak record to start the season. The Hobos and Red Sox battled it out in the early Nelson game. After the second inning, it looked like the Sox were going to take the game with a 5 run lead, including a home run by Caron(#24) and Grant (#27) but, the Hobos took it back when chances arose in the 3rd. Hobos Colin Lalonde (#33) also took one to yard tonight. With the Hobos one run ahead, the teams pushed through the rest of the game denying each others scoring opportunities. The final decision went to the Hobos at 8-7, giving them a 4-0 record for the season start. The Indians took on the Yankees in the late Ireland game. A show of good pitching by Yankees starting with no runs let in by pitcher Marc Messier(#20) that included striking out 4 of the 6 batters faced. Yanks Scott Bailey and Dean Howard only allowed two hits in the five innings pitched. The Yanks offense was also strong with a home run by rookie Yankee Darcy McEachern(#39), who lead the charge by going 3 for 3 and 4 RBI's. The final score was 16-0 for the Yanks, keeping them 3rd in the standings and throwing the Tribe to the basement. The Marauders faced the X-Men for the late Nelson game. The X-Men made attempts to keep the Marauders bats down but, could not prevent the runs pushed in. The Marauders led the game from the start and never wavered on the scoring gap bringing the decision to 13-1 for the new BVB squad. The next set of games will be on Friday June 1st at Nelson with the Cubs facing the X-Men and the Cardinals battling the MudHens. The Cubs will eager for a win while looking to move themselves out of the basement in the standings. With a "bird fight" in the late game, the Cards will be looking to keep their streak while the MudHens condition will come into play, not actively playing regular season games since May 6th. The action should be a great attention getter.. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....soon...
May 24th, 2007 - The BVB baseball machine steaming ahead with plans for the 2007 Nationals in Red Deer.... The BVB League body has began planning for the 2007 Vintage Nationals held in Red Deer on Aug 3-7th. The planning committee has been formed and roster building is under way. There will be further communication on this aspect to the league player body in coming weeks. There is also major plans being set in place for fund raising and sponsorship activities. If you are aware of any possible avenues or ideas for the League to pursue to raise funding, bring it forward. We will be hold raffles such as the successful"wheelbarrow full of booze" in 2006. There are also plans to hold a golf tournament and fundraiser night with possible activities such as a silent auction and prize draws. Stay tuned to the website for further details. Go BVB May 22nd, 2007 - Red Sox smash a blow to the Indians, Hobos keep the streak while breaking the Yanks... The BVB Red Sox faced the Indians in the early 6pm game at Millcroft. With the Sox hitting starting right from the start, the Indians never got a chance to catch their breath. With a total of 20 hits to the Indian's 10, the Sox leaped ahead with a 6 run 3rd and 5 run 4th inning. Also in the mix was a home run starter from #4 Chris McCullough that set the pace for the Sox offense. The Indians worked to match the runs in early innings but, ran out of momentum as the game progressed. The final decision closed at 19-6 for the Sox. The Yankees squared off against the Hobos for the late game. With both teams arriving with a 2-0 record to start the season, there was lots of tension to keep the streak going. The Yankees jumped out with a three run score in the top of the first inning but, the Hobos brought the lead back in the 3rd with 5 runs. Strong pitching by new Hobo #22 Mike Steed kept the Yanks at bay for the middle innings. With a 2 run score addition in the 5th, the Yanks hoped to close the gap but the Hobos took the win with a 10-5 decision, keeping them in the front of the league pack. The next set of BVB games start on Sunday May 27th with the Cards/Cubs, Hobos/RedSox, Indians/Yanks and Marauders/X-Men hitting the field. The action should please any fan alike... It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....soon...
May 15th, 2007 - BVB games washed out due to weather... The BVB regular season games scheduled for tonight were cancelled due to strong thunder storms and lightning. The 6pm game of the X-Men vs. Marauders and the MudHens vs. Cardinals will be scheduled at a later date. May weather typically gives us the boot of the yard but, BVB was hoping to get some reprieve from the endless (what seemed to be) rainouts experienced in 2006. BVB action will pick up again after the Victoria Long Weekend on Tuesday May 22nd with the Red Sox facing the Indians and the Yankees versus the Hobos. Be sure to keep an eye out on the schedule page for other BVB exhibition games scheduled this year with brotherhood leagues/teams such as the Welland Legends. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....soon...
May 11th, 2007 - An action packed night in BVB with all the home teams taking the win... With 4 games let loose tonight, it was "one for the home" team as the saying goes. In the early game at Nelson, the RedSox took on the Cardinals. With an early run lead, it looked like the Sox were going to take the game but the Cards bats hit heavy runs to make up the gap with a weakened Sox bullpen. The game looked all but over with the Sox leading in the last inning but, Cards #88 took a walk off Grand Slam to take the game at 11-10. The twin black teams, X-Men and Hobos faced off at Ireland with the 'Bos taking the game 5-3. The Cubs and Yankees hit the Yard for the late Ireland game. The Yankees came back in the bottom of 7th inning to overcome with a sac fly to right field by Winston Thompson to score Brad Tupper from 3rd. A great pitching performance by both teams, including Yankees game winner Jamie MacIntyre who struck out 5 of the 6 Cubs he faced in the later innings. The Indians took on the Marauders at the late Nelson game. The Indians jumped out in front with a 5 run lead in the first few innings but, the Marauders found their momentum in later innings to take the final at 15-5. The new faces in BVB are showing their stuff at the sandlot but, the old ones are proving they are not going anywhere either. It will be an interesting year in BVB with endless hours of the sport we all love to watch and play. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....soon...
May 6th, 2007 - BVB kicks off the season with action packed regular season play.... The BVB regular season kicked off with a bang. In the early set of games, the X-Men squared off with the Indians and took them by a high score of 14-2 with "Father" Leo King taking the win for the men in black. The Hobos took the Marauders with a score of 9-4. In the later set of games, the Cardinals pushed out a win against the Cubs at 12-11 with an action packed set of hits in the game. Cardinals Jay Hodgson and Russ Pereira both racked a homer. Pereira also stacked 5 RBI's and Mark Thomas with the game winning RBI in the top of the 6th to close it out. The 2007 expansion MudHens took on the Yankees and certainly did not display what they were hoping. A number of growing pains were apparent with the Hens taking their first game at a 19-2 loss against the hard hitting Yanks. Some of the BVB team makeup has shown definitive signs of changes for the better. With increased skill and competitiveness, 2007 will certainly be a positive move forward for BVB. It's all about Baseball folks. See you at the yard.....soon...
May 4th, 2007 - BVB starts the season with a set of Exhibition games.... The BVB League began the 2007 season with a set of exhibition games around Burlington. This reporter experienced some slow gameplay at a few of the games due to players still needing to "shake the rust" out of their joints and brain in order to get back into baseball mode again. For the most part, the scores were very unbalanced. It was still a great start to the season and good for BVB teams to get out and feel the grass beneath their feet. Take a look at the schedule page for the results of the match ups for the evening. See you at the Yard folks.....for 2007 BVB action!
March 20th, 2007 - BVB kicks off the year with lots of info at the first season Manager/Coach meeting. The BVB Board of Executives hosted the first 2007 Manager/Coach meeting on Monday March 19th, 2007 at Great Lakes Grille. With lots of information to share and discuss, BVB managers and coaches can now get down to final preparations for the season. The Board reviewed the make-up and direction that BVB will be taking this season. With 9 teams hitting the field, the game play and competition will be interesting. There will be 7 teams returning from last year (Cardinals, Cubs, Hobos, Indians, Red Sox, X-Men & Yankees), an old team with a new identity (Marauders) and a net-new team to the mix (MudHens). The season team seeding was announced for the 9 Teams (90) along with the projected schedule structure. It will be an UNBALANCED schedule based on each of the 9 teams playing a 20 game Regular Season schedule with a total of 90 Regular Season games. After you include the season start exhibition, sudden elimination game (9th team) and the maximum playoff games (20 Games) the maximum total number of games will be 116 for the season. An important item stressed to the league body was the importance of building our umpire pool for the approaching season. Walter Lutz is diligently working to make the season a success but, he expressed the need for all league members to assist with the topic. A final draft of the 2007 BVB constitution and rules were handed out for review. A few important changes were made and will need to be conveyed to all members before the start of the season. The new rules will be posted soon once the final version is published. The smell of grass is starting to rise, heightening the anticipation for the approaching season. 2007 is looking to be another successful season for BVB and the game action will be the true test of that.
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