THUNDER BAY – Play Ball! Or rather vote! Port Arthur Stadium is going head to head with London Ontario’s Labatt Field. Thunder Bay is only one vote away from winning. “The 60 year history of baseball at Port Arthur Stadium has brought pride to our community,” said Larry Hebert, President of the Thunder Bay International Baseball Association. “So, let’s tell the rest of Canada, by voting this gem Canada’s Favourite Ballpark and bring home the banner to Thunder Bay.”
The first game at the Port Arthur Stadium was played on Saturday July 14, 1951, a clash between the Giants and the Red Sox, Port Arthur’s representatives in the four-team Lakehead Senior Baseball League. First game participants Junior Wilson and Bert Fonso of the Giants and Eddie Cox and Ab Cava of the Red Sox were on hand with Hebert Tuesday morning at Port Arthur Stadium to kick off the final round of voting in the final against London’s Labatt Field.
The online voting for the final round at www.baseball.ca starts at 12 noon ET on Tuesday August 23rd. Voting will continue for two weeks, and end on September 6th at 10am ET. Baseball Canada will then announce the winner of the contest on September 7th at 12pm ET on www.baseball.ca.
A vote on every computing device that you own counts, so vote for Port Arthur Stadium on devices such as your desktop, laptop, Ipad, Iphone, Blackberry or any other device that will allow you to connect to www.baseball.ca. Only one vote per device is accepted during the two weeks of voting.
“It would be great hoist the banner as “Canada’s Favourite Ballpark”, said Warren Philp, Executive Director of the Thunder Bay International Baseball Association. “We know that we will need every vote to count so we encourage you to connect with friends and relatives on Facebook, Twitter or email to ensure we get as many votes as possible.”
Thunder Bay advanced to the final via two impressive wins in the contest thus far. Port Arthur Stadium captured 70 per cent of the vote against Okotoks, Alberta in their semi-final victory that ended last week, while edging out Brandon, Manitoba and two other baseball diamonds in their quarterfinal bracket back in July. Port Arthur Stadium was the only ballpark in Northern Ontario was nominated for the contest from forty submissions across Canada.
The Thunder Bay International Baseball Association, a not for profit organization that promotes baseball within Thunder Bay, have been instrumental in Port Arthur Stadium’s bid to win this prestigious title. Part of its mission is to bring regional, national and international baseball competitions to the city.
