The Similkameen News Leader
Sports Page
IT'S MENS FASTBALL SEASON!
The 2006 Penticton Mens Fastball League schedule has been released. Princeton Merchants are part of the league and the full Princeton schedule of games is as follows:
- April 30, 1 PM - Princeton at Interior Roofing (Manitou)
- May 1, 8:15 PM - GFX at Princeton (Lions)
- May 3, 6:30 PM - Princeton at B & S (Lions)
- May 10, 6:30 PM - Princeton at Interior Roofing (Lions)
- May 15, 8:15 PM - Princeton at GFX (Lions)
- May 17, 6:30 PM - Princeton at B & S (Lions)
- May 17, 8:15 PM - Kal Tire at Princeton (Lions)
- May 28, 11:00 AM, Kal Tire at Princeton (Princeton)
- May 28, 1:00 PM, Kal Tire at Princeton (Princeton)
- May 31, 6:30 PM - Princeton at Interior Roofing (Lions)
- June 4, 11:00 AM - Interior Roofing at Princeton (Princeton)
- June 4, 1:00 PM - Interior Roofing at Princeton (Princeton)
- June 7, 6:30 PM - Princeton at Kal Tire (Lions)
- June 7, 8:15 PM - Princeton at GFX (Lions)
- June 11, 11:00 AM - B & S at Princeton (Princeton)
- June 11, 1:00 PM - B & S at Princeton (Princeton)
- June 14, 6:30 PM - Princeton at Kal Tire (Lions)
- June 21, 6:30 PM - Princeton at B & S (Lions)
- June 25, 11:00 AM - GFX at Princeton (Princeton)
- June 25, 1:00 PM - GFX at Princeton (Princeton)
- July 5, 6:30 PM - SEMI-FINAL
- July 5, 8:15 PM - SEMI FINAL
- July 10, 6:30 PM - SEMI FINAL
- July 10, 8:15 PM - SEMI FINAL
- July 12, 6:30 PM - SEMI FINAL
- July 12, 8:15 PM - SEMI FINAL
- July 17, 18, 19 - FINALS
- July 24, 25 (if necessary)
MORE ON FASTBALL LEAGUE
The South Okanagan Similkameen Men's Fastball League got started over the weekend with the traditional triple header at Manitou Park in Naramata.
The Princeton Merchants will again be making the long drive a couple of times a week to be a part of the action. Mayor Randy McLean is one of the long time team members but certainly isn't the only veteran.
Fastpitch softball has taken a big hit over the past couple of decades with the popularity of slowpitch but the diehards that like competition keep plugging on. A couple of the pitchers in the league are into their 50's, and without pitching, you've got no game.
There has been a slow turn-around in the past couple of seasons as some of the kids coming out of minor baseball programs in the area are enjoying fastball. The commitment is even so much more demanding for Princeton due to the added time commitment just to get to games.
Ian Elko, A team rep for the Merchants says they'll host every team in a double-header in Princeton and hopefully, host a league tournament. The Merchants are looking to add pitchers from Summerland as that team folded over the winter.
Other teams involved are defending champion Kal Tire, Interior Roofing, (formerly Naramata Pub) Berry and Smith, and Gabriel Fastball Extreme made up mainly from the Penticton Indian Band.
The leagues venues include Princeton's main diamond at Memorial Park, Lions Park in Penticton, and Manitou Park in Naramata.
The Penticton Indian Band is hoping in the very near future to upgrade their field in order to be able to have a home diamond for their home games.
