The Badgers

2004

Hey, Badgers!

It's daylight after work! Let's play baseball!

What, already? Sure, it's getting warm out. Really!

In fact, let's start right away, so we don't end up playing in the dark in September!

The Toronto Arts League 2004 season will begin on Wednesday, May 5. Badgers will play an Exhibition Game against Remnants at Greenwood Park, Dundas and Greenwood.

Game One will take place the following week on Wednesday, May 12.

We will use Greenwood Park and Riverdale Park again this year, and we have a new field at Blake Public School. As usual, all games will be played on Wednesday, and will begin at 6:30 p.m.

The full schedule is attached. Fees will again be in the $20 - $30 range for the season.

Please let me know as soon as possible whether or not you will be playing this year.

Be sure to bookmark the TAL website at http://www.100bain.com/~videovic/TAL/.

There is now also a Badger website at:

www.wayneon.ca/badgers/ - Don't forget that final slash!

Check here often for scores and messages.

Semper arribare!

Wayne Smith
416-407-7009
www.wayneon.ca

Rule changes for 2004:

You'd think after thirty years we'd have the rulebook pretty well nailed down, but . . . .

The automatic out for having only two players of one gender worked well, and it will be continued. We have clarified that, if a player is injured during the game, and that causes the team to be short a player of that gender, there is NO PENALTY. There is no automatic out, and the team does not have to play short in the field. When a player is unable to bat in turn, simply skip their turn and go to the next batter. An injured player may return to the game when able.

We have specified that a pinch runner must be the last player to have made out who is of the same gender as the batter.

We have eliminated the rule that said that if you take three swings with no contact, you are out. Every batter is entitled to four pitches.

We have clarified the leadoff rule. The rule states that, when a runner leads off, the play is dead AND the batter is penalized one swing. This means that, if the runner leads off on the first pitch, the next pitch is the third pitch. When a runner leads off on the second pitch, the next pitch is the fourth pitch. If a runner leads off on the third or fourth pitch, the batter is OUT.

We have decided to strengthen and enforce the encroachment rules this year. Infielders must not position themselves more than THREE METRES outside the baseline OR MORE THAN ONE METRE INSIDE THE BASELINE. Each team will carry a pair of encroachment markers, strips of brightly coloured cloth, which will be placed in the outfield by agreement of the Captains. Outfielders may not position themselves inside the encroachment markers.

There will be NO ARGUING. Disputes will be settled by conversation between the Captains only or their delegates.

At Greenwood, balls hit into the soccer field in the air are OUTS. Balls which roll across the goal line are doubles. Everything to the right of the goalposts is clear. These rules apply all the time, WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE SOCCER PLAYERS.

Parks

Greenwood Park is at Greenwood and Dundas (southwest diamond)

Riverdale Park is on the west side of Broadview, between Danforth and Gerrard (north diamond)

Blake School is on Boultbee Avenue, which runs west from Jones Avenue, 1 block north of Gerrard. (Just north of the railway bridge). Jones is 2 blocks west of Leslie (and east of Pape). Via TTC go to Donlands station and take the 83 bus south.

BADGER SCHEDULE 2004

All games are on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.

Game 0: May 5, 2004 Greenwood Park Remnants 20 @ BADGERS 18 EXHIBITION

2 5 0 7 5 1 0 20
1 4 1 2 5 1 4 18

Cold and soggy, but baseball!

Game 1: May 12, 2004 Greenwood Park BADGERS 8 @ Remnants 25

3 0 0 0 5 0 0 8
7 6 7 0 1 4 x 25

Badgers get off to a slow start. Remnants do not.

Game 2: May 19, 2004 Greenwood Park Toronto Life 10 @ BADGERS 11

3 0 2 0 0 5 0 10
1 1 1 0 2 0 6 11

Suddenly scrappy Badgers win a shocker.

Game 3: May 26, 2004 Greenwood Park Opera 7 @ BADGERS 17

1 1 5 0 0 0 0 7
3 0 3 4 7 0 x 17

Badgers develop the season's theme of starting slow and coming from behind.

Game 4: June 2, 2004 Greenwood Park Bain Bantams 3 @ BADGERS 17

0 0 1 1 0 0 1 3
5 0 3 2 6 1 x 17

Jon Rudin MVP

After 4 games played, Badgers have 3 wins and 1 loss.

Game 5: June 9, 2004 Blake School BADGERS 16 @ Redwood Mavericks 9

2 1 1 2 1 2 7 16
0 0 0 1 3 1 4 9

A zippy game of bounce ball in the cozy confines of Blake Street School. Badgers lead all the way, but not by much, and the multitudinous Mavericks keep it exciting right to the end.

Game 6: June 16, 2004 Greenwood Park Redwood Mavericks 8 @ BADGERS 17

4 1 2 0 0 1 0 8
2 4 6 2 0 3 x 17

Badgers blossom on Bloomsday.

Game 7: June 23, 2004 Riverdale Park BADGERS 20 @ Bain Bantams 18

4 1 0 2 2 7 0 4 20
0 0 2 2 7 0 5 2 18

Eight innings of daylight are required for a summer solstice sizzler.

Game 8: June 30, 2004 Greenwood Park Remnants 15 @ BADGERS 1

2 0 6 5 2 5 0 15
0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

Badger bats go AWOL.

The Badger Rule: If we lose and you're not there, it's your fault.

Sorry I missed it.

After 8 games played, Badgers are 6 and 2.

Game 9: July 7, 2004 Blake School BADGERS 17 @ Opera 15

0 7 0 3 4 1 2 17
0 4 3 3 0 4 1 15

Badgers barely burp a victory.

Game 10: July 14, 2004 Riverdale Park BADGERS 12 @ Toronto Life 22

0 6 0 6 0 0 0 12
5 1 2 4 3 7 x 22

Badgers don't show up for the finish.

Game 11: July 21, 2004 Greenwood Park Opera 4 @ BADGERS 12

1 0 0 0 2 0 1 4
7 0 1 1 0 3 x 12

Badger defence catches fire with four double plays.

Game 12: July 28, 2004 Greenwood Park Bain Bantams 19 @ BADGERS 14

1 5 3 5 2 3 0 19
5 0 5 0 2 2 0 14

The return of the Badger Bounce. Badgers fail to make the easy plays look easy.

After twelve games played, the Badgers have eight wins and four losses.

Game 13: August 4, 2004 Blake School BADGERS 11 @ Redwood Mavericks 14

2 3 0 0 4 2 0 11
0 6 0 5 2 1 x 14

Shorthanded Badgers are outgunned by the many Mavericks.

Game 14: August 11, 2004 Greenwood Park Toronto Life 22 @ BADGERS 17

3 5 7 7 0 0 0 22
0 3 0 4 6 1 3 17

Badgers take some time getting used to the bounce ball, and can't complete the comeback.

Practice: August 18, 2004 Blake School

No game this week.

Badgers have clinched second place, and must prepare
for the playoffs.

Time to brush up on the fundamentals - beer and laughter.

Game 15: August 25, 2004 Greenwood Park BADGERS 12 @ Remnants 15

2 0 1 3 4 0 2 12
5 3 3 0 4 0 x 15

Remnants snatch victory from the jaws of default.

Badgers finish the season in second place, with eight wins and seven losses.

Badgers choose to play their semifinal game with Bain Bantams at Blake School.

Playoffs

Semifinal:

September 1, 2004 Blake School Bain Bantams 28 @ BADGERS 21

3 7 4 7 1 2 4 28
4 0 3 0 6 7 1 21

A well-played game on both sides.

Next year for sure.

Final:

September 8, 2004 Greenwood Park Bain Bantams 12 @ Remnants 8

Down 8 to 2 after four innings complete, Bain Bantams stage a stunning comeback to win the Toronto Arts League trophy, handing the shocked and battered Remnants their first and only defeat of the season!

Crisp officiating by the Badger Executive makes for an orderly game.

Badgers look forward to next season. We have some young talent in development!