SCBA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - WEDNESDAY OCT. 1st - 7:00PM @ JOHNSTON HEIGHTS SCHOOL - ROOM 1FP (Posted 10-Sep-08)
The 2008 SCBA Annual General Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday October 1st at 7:00PM in room 1FP at Johnston Heights Secondary School. All SCBA members are strongly encouraged to attend this important event. Come out and participate in the operation of our association, and make your voice heard. Agenda includes review of 2008 finances, and election of 2009 Executive Council. Draws for free 2009 Registrations will be held, and snacks and refreshments will be available. We hope to see you all there!
COACHES APPRECIATION NIGHT (Posted 30-Aug-08)
SCBA executive would like to invite all 2008 Divisional coaches to attend an evening in their honor at 6:30PM on Friday September 5, 2008 at Lionel Courchene Park’s Batting Cage. SCBA is wholly a volunteer-based association and our primary volunteer group is our core of coaches. In recognition of your efforts and as a thank you for your sacrifices the SCBA executive is hosting this event. Please come out and spend some time with fellow coaches as well as enjoying some pizza and refreshments.
SCBA ALUMNI PLAYER UPDATE (Posted 30-Aug-08)
Congratulations to former SCBA players Clayton Franco and Andrew Kearney for winning the Midget AAA Provincials and the Silver medal at the Midget Tier I Westerns in Saskatchewan with the Newton Tigers.
Congratulations to former SCBA players Adam Quan and Brian Wearing for winning the B.C. Provincials and Nationals in Ontario with the Whalley Chiefs. This earned them a trip to the Senior (U16) Little League World Series in Bangor, Maine, where they posted a 3-1 round robin record before losing 1-0 in the semi-final to the eventual championship-winning team from New Jersey.
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ALLSTAR SEASON UPDATE:
Congratulations to our 3 teams that qualified for Provincials:
·Bantam AA - Congratulations to Surrey Canadian Astros, coached by Bob Butterworth, Rick Hunter and Richard Lawrence, who made the Provincials to be held in Chilliwack July 31st to August 3rd at Fairfield Island Park (off Clare Ave). Schedule is posted on BC Minor website http://www.bcminorbaseball.org/Tourn_info.aspxIf you are in the area come out and cheer for your SCBA team.
·Mosquito AAA tier 2 - Congratulations to Surrey Canadian Hobos, coached by Dale Baxter, Lee-Anne Baxter and Ron Schramm, for making the Provincials to be held in Cloverdale (17333 61A Ave) from July 31st to August 3rd. Opening ceremonies are Thursday evening beginning at 5 pm with Skills Competition to follow. Please take the time to go out and watch some exciting baseball and to cheer on our SCBA Hobos, see BC Minor site noted above for schedules.
Update - SCBA Hobos lost a very close game against Chilliwack 8 to 7 Saturday afternoon which cost them a seat in the semi-finals. This team played some outstanding baseball this weekend and Surrey Canadian Baseball is very proud of their efforts.
·Mosquito AA - Congratulations to SCBA''s Mosquito AA team, coached by Kevin Phelan and Mike Robinson, who qualified for Provincials to be held in Burnaby from July 31st to August 3rd. Park location is Kensington Park (5889 Curtis). Check out the schedule at BC Minor site noted above and come out to cheer on SCBA''s team.
Update - SCBA''s Mosquito AA team needed a win against a tough opponent in Burnaby Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately Burnaby won the game but Surrey finished with a very respectable 2 and 2 record. We are very proud of their efforts.
SURREY CARDINALS WIN 2nd PLACE IN MIDGET AA TIER 1 INTERLOCK FINALS
Congratulations to the Midget AA Cardinals for winning 2nd place in the Midget AA Tier 1 Interlock finals this past weekend. The Cardinals posted an 11-7-1 regular season record, good enough for the 8th and final spot in the Tier 1 playoff pool. They then went 3-1-1 in the playoffs before finally falling to the Ladner Reds in the final. It is nice to see SCBA teams bringing home some hardware. Things are looking good for the summer season!
SURREY DODGERS WIN 2nd PLACE IN BANTAM A TIER 2 INTERLOCK FINALS
Congratulations to the Surrey Dodgers for winning 2nd place in the Bantam A Tier 2 Interlock finals. After initially struggling in the round robin portion of the playoffs the Dodgers came alive, winning their quarter-final and semi-final games. They finally fell to the Newton Red Sox in the final game, finishing the season and heading into summer ball on a positive note. Great job Dodgers!
SURREY TIGERS WIN MOSQUITO DIVISION AT KATHY THOMAS TOURNAMENT
Congratulations to both SC Canadians and SC Tigers for some fine baseball at Kathy Thomas Tournament. SC Tigers defeated SC Canadians in one semi-final match to advance to the championship game.
Surrey Canadian Tigers then defeated Cloverdale Mariners 12 to 2 in the Mosquito final of Kathy Thomas Tournament last weekend. SC Tigers record was 5 wins 0 losses and included 68 runs for with only 21 runs against. Way to Go Tigers!!
JAMES NEIL SMITH - BANTAM DIAMOND DEDICATION (April 6, 2008)
James Neil Smith was born in Montreal, Quebec on April 17th, 1926, where he lived for forty four (44) years. In 1946 at the age of 21 Jim signed on with a Division A Fastball team that was playing in a local commercial league. He was the shortstop, playing for pride and beers while the pitchers and catchers played for $500 - $600 a game.
In 1970 Jim, his wife Edith and their two sons Robert and James moved out to Vancouver where Jim began working for the Pacific Press. He once again became involved in baseball when he began attending the games with his grandsons. Jim also did some coaching in Surrey Canadian, helping Chris’s Bantam team win a Provincial championship in the late 90’s. Chris later moved on to play for the Langley Blaze, and was a member of the 2000 Big League World Series championship team in Arizona (they are the only Canadian team to ever win a World Series). They also placed 3rd in the 2001 World Series in South Carolina. Jim attended both World Series tournaments, and described them as highlights of his baseball experience.
In 1990 he retired from his job, and then did volunteer work at the Fraser Valley Therapeutic Equestrian Association for six years. In 1996 he joined up with the Surrey Canadian Baseball Association and took on the responsibility of groundskeeper. Jim became a fixture at Lionel Courchene Park for the next 10 years. He was here almost every day, cutting the grass, lining the fields, filling the holes, and making Lionel Courchene Park one of the most beautiful ball parks in B.C. He was often the first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave at night. Since his “retirement” from Surrey Canadian in 2006, several volunteers have been struggling to keep up with the job that Jim handled single-handedly.
In 2004, Jim was recognized for his service to the game by the B.C. Minor Baseball Association and appointed to their Honour Roll (
http://www.bcminorbaseball.org/HonourRoll.aspx), where he shares space with other prominent names in B.C. amateur baseball history.
On October 4th, 2007 Jim Smith passed away at Surrey Memorial Hospital. Jim had requested that there be no memorial service. His family has suggested that donations may be made in his memory to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. Jim and Edith were married for 55 years. The Surrey Canadian Baseball Association would like to honour Jim’s memory by dedicating the Bantam baseball diamond in his name. From April 6th, 2008 forward this field will now be known as the James Neil Smith diamond. We know Jim would be proud to watch out over HIS field that he took such great care of for so many years.