There’s one more major reason to look forward to the return of Dawgs baseball.
The midsummer classic is returning to Seaman Stadium for the first time in over a decade as the Okotoks Dawgs were announced as hosts of the 2021 Western Canadian Baseball League All-Star Game.
“We’re really pleased that the 2021 WCBL All-Star Game is moving to Okotoks,” said WCBL president Kevin Kvame, at a Sept. 2 press conference at Seaman Stadium. “It was scheduled to be in Edmonton for two years, they hosted in 2019, but due to the situation going on in Edmonton, moving the Prospects around, we decided it was in the best interest of the league to have that event in Okotoks.”
The Edmonton Prospects are moving to the Spruce Grove area after running into issues with the lease of their former home, RE/MAX field in the capital city.
Having the game in Okotoks means it will be played in front of the largest fan base in the Western Canadian loop.
Dawgs games draw an average of over 4,000 fans per game, not only the most in the WCBL, but the third most among summer collegiate clubs in all of North America.
“We are incredibly proud of this honour,” said Dawgs director William Gardner. “It was a beautiful all-star game in Edmonton last year. They did a tremendous job, tremendous fan support and we’re looking forward to building on the momentum of the all-star game from last year and doing things in a bigger and better way as we always do in Okotoks.
“We are blessed with some of the finest facilities not only on this side of the border, but arguably in the United States as well. I really believe that the all-star game coming again to Seaman Stadium truly is a testament to the fan base and the support that we enjoy here, from the Foothills, Calgary and the surrounding area the fans have shown they have a passion for this sport, a passion for our league, a passion for our team. There’s no doubt in my mind they’re going to make this all-star game one to remember.”
The All-Star showcase — scheduled for July 24, 2021 — goes beyond the nine innings of baseball with a home-run derby, musical concert and post-game fireworks planned for the extravaganza.
The last time Okotoks hosted the event was in 2008 with pitcher Jeff Duda, current Dawgs Academy coach, one of nine Dawgs to suit up in that game.
“Getting to be a part of it back in 2008, the Okotoks fans filling up the stadium, and getting to be around the best players in the league is definitely a fun experience,” Duda said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get to pitch in it, my start was I think two days before. But having it come back in 2021 is awesome.
“Honestly, one of the best things about playing in Okotoks is they genuinely care about their players, they get to know you by name and getting to mingle with them at the end of the game and seeing the kids run around the field, it’s a great environment and a great family to be a part of.”
The 2021 season will be one of growth for the WCBL with the addition of the Sylvan Lake Gulls franchise, bringing the total to 11 teams in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic shelving the 2020 season, the WCBL has dated back over 80 years without interruption.
“Think of 80 years of baseball across Western Canada and you think of the WCBL,” Gardner said. “You think of the communities we’re in and we know what it means in Okotoks, but each season annually this league draws over 300,000 baseball fans into ball parks across two provinces.
“By any measure that’s significant and by any measure that tells you how important this league is in every one of those communities.”
Core-4 Expansion
When baseball is back there’s a new perch for fans to take in the action.
The Dawgs unveiled the Core-4 Corner expansion on Sept. 2 complete with a two-level bleacher with expansive hospitality patio seating in the left field corner of Seaman Stadium. Underneath the bleachers is the brand new visitors' clubhouse.
Gardner said the Core-4 will rank as one the most iconic and unique seating experiences in all of baseball.
“That’s a big thing to say, I know,” he said. “But when you think of Fenway Park and those iconic seats up on the Green Monster or down in Houston at Minute Maid (Park) they have the Crawford Box seats, we’ve tried to replicate a very, very unique experience here at Seaman Stadium with our Core-4 Corner.
The Core-4 Corner is a tribute to the original Dawgs youth team in 1996 that was largely a travel team without a home and featured the likes of Jim Henderson, Emerson Frostad and Matt and Vincent Ircandia.
“It’s a homage to that original team,” said Dawgs managing director John Ircandia. “Without that original team, the passion of myself as the person who put this together, and the passion of our donors as well this wouldn’t have happened.
“Without the original team there would be no Dawgs now, there would be no Seaman Stadium.”
The Dawgs have also opened their season ticket sales for the 2021 season and will soon be offering an online 50-50 campaign.
For more information go to dawgsbaseball.ca
