Mike Crawford article
An anonymous reader sent on this link to a story about Mike Crawford, a familiar face to fastball players in this area.
Fastball player wins silver at World Masters
November 11, 2009 - by Karen Longwell
Bracebridge fastball pitcher Mike Crawford, 45, helped bring home silver for Canada at the World Masters Games last month.
Crawford was invited to play on Team Canada, from Cornwall, for the World Masters Games in Sydney, Australia from Oct. 10 to 18.
Crawford describes the games as the old-timers Olympics. The games are for people over 35 years old and are scheduled every four years.
The events in Sydney were held in the same venues as the 2000 Olympics.
“We had the opening ceremonies at Olympic stadium and it was incredible. It was a great show they had there and it was packed,” said Crawford.
Approximately 28,000 athletes gathered for events such as track and field, soccer, basketball and all types of Olympic sports, he said. There were approximately 2,700 people playing on women’s and men’s fastball teams.
“There were people there from all over the world,” said Crawford.
The competition was excellent and Team Canada lost the first two games, he said.
“That put us in the hole … and then we won a bunch in a row to put us back in the playoff spot.”
Teams must finish in the top four to make the playoffs. Canada did so with a winning streak of six games, he said.
In the playoffs, Team Canada lost to New Zealand and Australia took third place.
The trip was busy with the team playing about two games each day.
Overall, Crawford enjoyed the experience and the chance to visit Sydney.
“It was well organized and there were great facilities,” said Crawford.
This isn’t Crawford’s first experience with the World Masters Games; he played in Edmonton in 2005 where his team won a bronze medal.
Crawford has travelled all over the world playing fastball. He started playing when he was eight years old in Bracebridge. He started, he said, because there was a good minor ball system in town.
As a player on Canadian teams and teams in the United States, Crawford has travelled to Europe, Dominican Republic, United States, Mexico and across Canada.
After a break from fastball, Crawford got back into the game last year after former teammates asked him to join a team in Pennsylvania.
“They have just encouraged me to keep playing down there,” said Crawford.
He plans to continue playing in Pennsylvania, which involves flying down on the weekends. He also hopes to play with Team Canada again.
The next World Masters is in Turin, Italy. Crawford has been invited to play with the Cornwall team for a tournament in South Africa in two years.
Fastball player wins silver at World Masters
November 11, 2009 - by Karen Longwell
Bracebridge fastball pitcher Mike Crawford, 45, helped bring home silver for Canada at the World Masters Games last month.
Crawford was invited to play on Team Canada, from Cornwall, for the World Masters Games in Sydney, Australia from Oct. 10 to 18.
Crawford describes the games as the old-timers Olympics. The games are for people over 35 years old and are scheduled every four years.
The events in Sydney were held in the same venues as the 2000 Olympics.
“We had the opening ceremonies at Olympic stadium and it was incredible. It was a great show they had there and it was packed,” said Crawford.
Approximately 28,000 athletes gathered for events such as track and field, soccer, basketball and all types of Olympic sports, he said. There were approximately 2,700 people playing on women’s and men’s fastball teams.
“There were people there from all over the world,” said Crawford.
The competition was excellent and Team Canada lost the first two games, he said.
“That put us in the hole … and then we won a bunch in a row to put us back in the playoff spot.”
Teams must finish in the top four to make the playoffs. Canada did so with a winning streak of six games, he said.
In the playoffs, Team Canada lost to New Zealand and Australia took third place.
The trip was busy with the team playing about two games each day.
Overall, Crawford enjoyed the experience and the chance to visit Sydney.
“It was well organized and there were great facilities,” said Crawford.
This isn’t Crawford’s first experience with the World Masters Games; he played in Edmonton in 2005 where his team won a bronze medal.
Crawford has travelled all over the world playing fastball. He started playing when he was eight years old in Bracebridge. He started, he said, because there was a good minor ball system in town.
As a player on Canadian teams and teams in the United States, Crawford has travelled to Europe, Dominican Republic, United States, Mexico and across Canada.
After a break from fastball, Crawford got back into the game last year after former teammates asked him to join a team in Pennsylvania.
“They have just encouraged me to keep playing down there,” said Crawford.
He plans to continue playing in Pennsylvania, which involves flying down on the weekends. He also hopes to play with Team Canada again.
The next World Masters is in Turin, Italy. Crawford has been invited to play with the Cornwall team for a tournament in South Africa in two years.
posted by fitzroyfastball | 11/16/2009 04:36:00 pm
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