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Introduction to the Baseball Canada Cup
The Baseball Canada Cup is the Annual Championship for youth aged players (16-17 years old). All 10 provinces are represented at the championships, with 20 players, 3 coaches, and one chef de mission making up each provincial team.
Building Memories Since 1989
The Baseball Canada Cup has been an event that has traditionally witnessed outstanding performances and fielded many memories.
The tournament was born in 1989 to help Baseball Canada select a youth team to participate in the world youth AAA championship. While the event is still of major importance in scouting players for thecountry's national program, it also provides players exposure to scouts in the university, college and professional ranks.
"It has been the primary source of development for prospects of our junior national team program," said Greg Hamilton, Baseball Canada's director of national teams.
"It gives us a good reference point on seeing if a kid is capable of impacting our junior national team." The initial tournament was held in Brandon, Man., back in 1989. Alain Roy of Quebec was the initial star for the event. Roy, who later joined Canada's national team, posted a .563 batting average with Quebec while in 9 RBI and hitting a home run in six games. Quebec won the first final defeating Ontario in a tightly contested 3-2 match.
Ontario won back-to-back titles in 1990 and 1991. They defeated Quebec 4-3 in 1990 and dumped British Columbia 6-1 in 1991. In 1991, Todd Betts and Stubby Clapp of Ontario both batted .500. Betts would later join the Cleveland Indians organization and Clapp became part of the national team program.
The Baseball Canada Cup championship game hit national television in 1992. The championship game was shown on TSN and Quebec defeated Ontario 5-0.
After falling in two straight finals, British Columbia began building a dynasty. Starting in 1993, B.C. won four Baseball Canada Cup titles in five years including three in a row from 1995 to 1997. The first victory in 1993 saw B.C. edge Saskatchewan by a 6-5 score.
Saskatchewan turned out to be the only province to disrupt the B.C. streak during that time, defeating Quebec in the tournament final 9-8 in 1994. Saskatchewan's Quinn Uzelman led that tournament with a .571 batting average.
After an Ontario victory in 1998, the Baseball Canada Cup championship has been the property of either B.C. or Quebec. B.C. won the title in 2000 and 2002, while Quebec claimed victory in 1999, 2001, 2003 and 2004.
During those years, Alberta ended up checking in with their most-memorable moment of the Canada Cup in 2002 in Melville, Sask. They ended up walking away with an unexpected silver medal in their only trip to the tournament final.
Alberta finished 2-2 in round-robin play to place third in the more difficult Pool A. Their two losses were bad ones as they fell 11-4 to Quebec and 12-0 to B.C.
With a semifinal game slated against Quebec, odds pointed towards doom for Alberta. Les McTavish, who was as assistant coach and operations manager for Team Alberta that year, remembers something intangible coming together for his team.
"That wasn't our most talented team by any means," said McTavish. "We have had some years where we had seven or eight kids drafted all on the same team.
"I think that was the best team ever assembled in Alberta."
Medicine Hat product Adam Moser ended up getting the pitching start for what turned out to be Alberta's biggest win in Baseball Canada Cup history. Moser ended up striking out seven, gave up two earned runs on three hits, and he only walked two batters in earning the complete game win.
Alberta's offence came through big time in helping Moser as they dumped Quebec 8-2. The championship game was shown on CBC that year. Alberta's storybook ending didn't occur as they dropped a 5-2 decision to B.C.
B.C. scored three runs on two Alberta errors in the bottom of the second inning to deliver a huge blow to the underdog's chances.
Despite that outcome, Moser said he would always remember that tournament. "We weren't expected to be a medal contender, and to tell you the truth, we weren't a very talented team," said Moser. "We just played very well as a team.
"It was a great experience. It was probably the most fun I have had playing baseball."
Over the years, many talented individuals, who moved on to the major leagues, have taken the field at the Baseball Canada Cup. They included Corey Koskie of the Toronto Blue Jays, Eric Gagne of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Ryan Dempster of the Cincinnati Reds.
At this year's tournament, new memories will unfold, and the next major leaguer may take the field. "We will certainly see some very exciting baseball," said Hamilton. "It is a chance to see tomorrow's stars."
The 2005 Cup ended with a bang.
Not only did the host Albertan's win bronze with a walkoff three-run double against
B.C.'s Kyle Orr homered early to give his team a 2-1 lead which lasted until
Eight players from the starting lineups of the finals would be drafted by Major League teams the following spring, lead by Orr, a fourth-round pick of the L.A. Dodgers and Jonathan Waltenbury of
The 2006 tournament featured two pitchers who would be chosen in the first round of the following year's Major League draft. Phillipe Aumont, a 6-foot-7 right-hander from
Delta, B.C. native Kyle Lotzkar pitched a complete game in his team's 4-2 gold-medal loss to
The West Coasters would win the 2007 Canada Cup in
Over the years, many talented individuals, who moved on to the major leagues, have taken the field at the Baseball Canada Cup. They include journeyman Major Leaguer Corey Koskie, National League Cy Young winner Eric Gagne and all-star Ryan Dempster of the Chicago Cubs.
Further Information
For further information please contact Darlene at (403) 528-5689 or baseball@medicinehatnews.com
