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Baseball Alberta season cancellation hits local teams hard

The Red Deer Riggers were gearing up for one of their most important seasons to date.
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The Red Deer Riggers will not play baseball this season after Baseball Alberta cancelled all in-person activities until September 1. (Photo by BYRON HACKETT/Advocate Staff)

The Red Deer Riggers were gearing up for one of their most important seasons to date.

It was supposed to be big summer for the club after it was announced in late 2019 that they’d host the 2021 Canadian Senior Men’s National Championship.

While the club is still hopeful they will host nationals next year, the building process towards that goal was going to be a big part of the Sunburst Baseball League season in 2020.

That was until Baseball Alberta made the decision last week to cancel all in-person baseball activities until September 1.

“It’s always unfortunate to hear. It was a big season for us because we’re hosting nationals next year, so it’s the build-up for that. When that gets cut short, it’s pretty disappointing on a couple of fronts,” said Riggers shortstop Jaret Chatwood.

According to the Baseball Alberta release on May 8, they said the move to cancel all sanctioned activities until Sept. 1 was out of an abundance of caution to keep the membership safe.

“With the warmer weather upon us, we would like nothing more than to be out playing baseball, however the reality is that at this time it is not safe to do so,” said Baseball Alberta Vice President Jon Oko

“We must respect the orders and restrictions that have been put in place in our province by our Chief Medical Officer of Health and her team.”

Chatwood, who has spent most summers since he can remember on or at a baseball field, said this year will be a strange one.

“It’s going to be very weird. Usually, we’re watching baseball on TV right now where everyone is getting excited to play. The weather is changing and the grass is turning green, now, you’re almost at a loss for what you’re going to do,” he added.

Still. some in the baseball community still think that the sport could still go ahead in some capacity. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 1,000 people had signed a petition to allow baseball and fastball activities to return.

“Give parents and guardians the CHOICE to put their children in an organized outdoor activity. The rules will be different with all the health regulations but at least they are outside and doing some physical activity and socializing with their friends,” the petition reads.

Golf also went through a similar process last month. After courses were originally on the non-essential service list in Alberta, a large petition emerged and had close to 50,000 signatures. In early May, it was announced that golf courses would be allowed to open in phase one of reopening.



Byron Hackett

About the Author: Byron Hackett

Byron has been the sports reporter at the advocate since December of 2016. He likes to spend his time in cold hockey arenas accompanied by luke warm, watered down coffee.
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