Gil Read Memorial Tournament media coverage
Some excellent media coverage of the Gil Read Memorial Men's Fastball tournament held in Carp this past weekend in the West Carleton Review.
Kanata team storms to Gil Read championship
By Jeff Maguire
They weren’t among the pre-tournament favourites, but Kanata Storm certainly made believers out of everyone who attended the eighth annual Gil Read Memorial Fastpitch Tournament in Carp on the weekend.
On a day when thunderstorms were in the forecast, it was the appropriately named Kanata team that created all the action at Carp Fairgrounds. Storm blew past Elmira (Ontario) Expos 7-0 Sunday afternoon to complete an impressive showing in the three-day event.
Kanata posted a tournament best 5-1 record, going 3-1 in the preliminary round to qualify for the semi-finals played earlier Sunday.
In their opening playoff contest, Storm doubled Oswego (New York) CPI Classics 8-4. The other semi-final saw Elmira (from the Kitchener area) edge Kingston Axemen 5-4 to qualify for the title game.
Veteran Ottawa-area fastball player Corey Costello of the Storm was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. He is the first winner of the new Joel Langford Memorial Trophy. Costello led a four-man Kanata pitching rotation that dominated the 10-team competition.
Storm’s only stumble came in their opening game in Pool B. They lost a tight 1-0 decision to Kingston Axemen in a contest that began Friday night but was halted in the seventh inning due to downpours. That game resumed early Saturday with Kingston holding on to their advantage.
Following that prolonged outing Kanata was unstoppable.
They defeated Broker4 Tickets, another Ottawa team, 4-2 Saturday morning. In their third game Saturday afternoon they shut out another tournament newcomer, Elkland (Pennsylvania) Merchants, by a 7-0 count.
Saturday night Storm outlasted the Quebec Juniors tournament team in a 14-12 thriller. That match-up was the highest scoring game of the weekend.
Meanwhile, Kingston went 3-0-1 in the round-robin to finish atop the Pool B standings (ties are allowed in the competition due to time constraints). Kanata at 3-1 was a close second and rounding out the pool were Broker4 Tickets 2-1-1, Quebec Juniors 1-3 while Elkland were 0-4 in their tournament debut.
In Pool A, Oswego, a pre-tournament favourite, finished on top with a solid 3-1 mark. Elmira (from the Kitchener area) was runner-up at 2-1-1. Oshawa missed the playoffs finishing 2-2 while local favourites Fitzroy Harbour West Carleton Electric went 1-2-1. Rounding out Pool A were tournament regulars Napanee (Ontario) Shoeless Joe’s Express Juniors who recorded just one win in four outings.
LOCAL ENTRY
Fitzroy/WC, which plays in the Greater Ottawa Fastball League, opened the tournament with an impressive 9-4 victory over Napanee. That game started Friday night but play was suspended due to rain in the fourth inning with Electric holding a 7-4 lead. The teams completed the contest early Saturday.
The West Carleton club tied Elmira 5-5 in their second outing to remain in playoff contention. However, they fell 7-2 to Oshawa later the same day and Sunday morning Electric was doubled 6-3 by Oswego to fall out of the hunt.
Despite a rainy opening night and the threat of thunderstorms Sunday, the eighth annual event has been judged a success.
Chris Read, who along with his cousin Al Read, Adam Brown and Cory Morrison comprises the four-member organizing committee, said Monday this year’s tournament featured the strongest field ever.
“The quality of the fastball was truly unbelievable,” he enthused. “It was the best ever even though the final ended on the mercy rule.
“But the round-robin games Sunday morning were win and you’re in (the playoffs) and that’s the way you want your tournament to go,” he stressed.
Rain hurt attendance Friday, but Chris says that except for the heat there were no weather problems the rest of the weekend.
“After Friday’s rain we didn’t have another drop. The (predicted) storms went around us. So no complaints, overall things went very well,” he added.
All proceeds from the tournament go to the Gil Read Memorial Foundation. The organization assists underprivileged youngsters who wish to play organized sports, but otherwise would not have the funds necessary to take part.
Since the tournament moved to Carp six years ago, the organizing committee has been able to increase the amount of proceeds donated to the foundation in each successive year.
The tournament is held in memory of Chris Read’s father Gil, a long-time men’s fastball coach who died tragically in 2007.
This year’s MVP award was presented in memory of Joel Langford, a highly skilled Ottawa fastball player who died unexpectedly on June 2 at the tender age of 26. The host committee has now instituted the trophy in his memory.
“Joel competed in the tournament every year. We wanted to do this for his family, friends, teammates and coaches,” Chris explained.
Kanata, the tournament winner, pocketed $1,500 while the runners-up from Elmira took home $700. The losing semi-finalists, Kingston and Oswego, each received $250.
Chris Read thanked all of the sponsors who signed on for this year, noting that many of them have been assisting the tournament and the foundation since its inception in 2008. “We really appreciate their loyalty and their ongoing support,” he added.
Anyone interested in the tournament or those wishing to make a donation to this worthwhile cause can reach Chris Read by telephone at 613-292-7379 or contact him by email at chris@canadiandad.com.
For additional information on the tournament and the Gil Read Memorial Foundation, visit the tournament website.
Kanata team storms to Gil Read championship
By Jeff Maguire
They weren’t among the pre-tournament favourites, but Kanata Storm certainly made believers out of everyone who attended the eighth annual Gil Read Memorial Fastpitch Tournament in Carp on the weekend.
On a day when thunderstorms were in the forecast, it was the appropriately named Kanata team that created all the action at Carp Fairgrounds. Storm blew past Elmira (Ontario) Expos 7-0 Sunday afternoon to complete an impressive showing in the three-day event.
Kanata posted a tournament best 5-1 record, going 3-1 in the preliminary round to qualify for the semi-finals played earlier Sunday.
In their opening playoff contest, Storm doubled Oswego (New York) CPI Classics 8-4. The other semi-final saw Elmira (from the Kitchener area) edge Kingston Axemen 5-4 to qualify for the title game.
Veteran Ottawa-area fastball player Corey Costello of the Storm was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. He is the first winner of the new Joel Langford Memorial Trophy. Costello led a four-man Kanata pitching rotation that dominated the 10-team competition.
Storm’s only stumble came in their opening game in Pool B. They lost a tight 1-0 decision to Kingston Axemen in a contest that began Friday night but was halted in the seventh inning due to downpours. That game resumed early Saturday with Kingston holding on to their advantage.
Following that prolonged outing Kanata was unstoppable.
They defeated Broker4 Tickets, another Ottawa team, 4-2 Saturday morning. In their third game Saturday afternoon they shut out another tournament newcomer, Elkland (Pennsylvania) Merchants, by a 7-0 count.
Saturday night Storm outlasted the Quebec Juniors tournament team in a 14-12 thriller. That match-up was the highest scoring game of the weekend.
Meanwhile, Kingston went 3-0-1 in the round-robin to finish atop the Pool B standings (ties are allowed in the competition due to time constraints). Kanata at 3-1 was a close second and rounding out the pool were Broker4 Tickets 2-1-1, Quebec Juniors 1-3 while Elkland were 0-4 in their tournament debut.
In Pool A, Oswego, a pre-tournament favourite, finished on top with a solid 3-1 mark. Elmira (from the Kitchener area) was runner-up at 2-1-1. Oshawa missed the playoffs finishing 2-2 while local favourites Fitzroy Harbour West Carleton Electric went 1-2-1. Rounding out Pool A were tournament regulars Napanee (Ontario) Shoeless Joe’s Express Juniors who recorded just one win in four outings.
LOCAL ENTRY
Fitzroy/WC, which plays in the Greater Ottawa Fastball League, opened the tournament with an impressive 9-4 victory over Napanee. That game started Friday night but play was suspended due to rain in the fourth inning with Electric holding a 7-4 lead. The teams completed the contest early Saturday.
The West Carleton club tied Elmira 5-5 in their second outing to remain in playoff contention. However, they fell 7-2 to Oshawa later the same day and Sunday morning Electric was doubled 6-3 by Oswego to fall out of the hunt.
Despite a rainy opening night and the threat of thunderstorms Sunday, the eighth annual event has been judged a success.
Chris Read, who along with his cousin Al Read, Adam Brown and Cory Morrison comprises the four-member organizing committee, said Monday this year’s tournament featured the strongest field ever.
“The quality of the fastball was truly unbelievable,” he enthused. “It was the best ever even though the final ended on the mercy rule.
“But the round-robin games Sunday morning were win and you’re in (the playoffs) and that’s the way you want your tournament to go,” he stressed.
Rain hurt attendance Friday, but Chris says that except for the heat there were no weather problems the rest of the weekend.
“After Friday’s rain we didn’t have another drop. The (predicted) storms went around us. So no complaints, overall things went very well,” he added.
All proceeds from the tournament go to the Gil Read Memorial Foundation. The organization assists underprivileged youngsters who wish to play organized sports, but otherwise would not have the funds necessary to take part.
Since the tournament moved to Carp six years ago, the organizing committee has been able to increase the amount of proceeds donated to the foundation in each successive year.
The tournament is held in memory of Chris Read’s father Gil, a long-time men’s fastball coach who died tragically in 2007.
This year’s MVP award was presented in memory of Joel Langford, a highly skilled Ottawa fastball player who died unexpectedly on June 2 at the tender age of 26. The host committee has now instituted the trophy in his memory.
“Joel competed in the tournament every year. We wanted to do this for his family, friends, teammates and coaches,” Chris explained.
Kanata, the tournament winner, pocketed $1,500 while the runners-up from Elmira took home $700. The losing semi-finalists, Kingston and Oswego, each received $250.
Chris Read thanked all of the sponsors who signed on for this year, noting that many of them have been assisting the tournament and the foundation since its inception in 2008. “We really appreciate their loyalty and their ongoing support,” he added.
Anyone interested in the tournament or those wishing to make a donation to this worthwhile cause can reach Chris Read by telephone at 613-292-7379 or contact him by email at chris@canadiandad.com.
For additional information on the tournament and the Gil Read Memorial Foundation, visit the tournament website.
Labels: Tournament
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