The John Cho Cup fastball tournament happening this weekend at Carrie Jane Gray Park and Freeman Park is in its fifth year, but native fastball in Prince George this time of year is a tradition that dates back at least 50 years.
And it’s just as popular as ever.
John Cho tournament organizer Sheldon Bjorklund says a full slate of 43 teams in five divisions are signed up for the three-day event that starts Friday and he could have added a few more teams to the schedule if only there were a few more softball fields available in the city.
“We’re up seven teams from last year, and to tell you the truth, if the park had more facilities with lights and more facilities in general I probably could have got 60,” said Bjorklund.
A new rule this year that stipulates players on each team must all be sporting matching uniforms and that might have convinced some teams to shy away from entering..
“I wanted to get rid of the weekend warrior teams where they just throw a team in for the weekend,” said Bjorklund. “In these big tournaments teams will take the best players from six or seven teams and that messes up several teams that might have (wanted to enter the tournament).
“The new rule means at least you’re investing in a set of uniforms for the weekend.”
Bkjorklund is counting on the weather cooperating and so far the forecast looks quite promising. There is some rain predicted, with a 40 per cent chance Friday night and a 30 per cent chance on Saturday, but it’s mostly a mix of sun and cloud and fair weather in store for the bulk of the weekend. Highs will range from 18C on Friday to 22C on Saturday and highs in the low 20s Saturday and Sunday, leading up to the Canada Day holiday on Monday.
Rain wiped out the final day of last year’s tournament and there was no open division winner declared. STK of Chase advanced to the open final against JB Bombers of Agoura Hills, Calif.
With an automatic berth in the International Softball Congress and a $10,000 prize pot on the line, the Bombers were leading 4-0 when the rain came down, forcing organizers to cancel the rest of it. STK and the Bombers split the top prize money and each were declared co-champions.
Six teams have entered the open division, including STK, the Prince George-based Broken Bow Blazers (formerly known as Big Guy Lake Reds), Vanderhoof Rippers, Prince George River Kings, Grande Prairie Pirates and the Saskatoon Jacks. Grande Prairie and STK is are ranked eighth and ninth respectively in the world.
Sponsored by former Prince George resident Alan Letendre, the Blazers went 1-3 at the STK Men’s Fastball Tournament two weekends ago in Kamloops and had planned to enter the Calgary Stomp tournament last weekend but were told to stay home because of steady rain that swamped the Stampede City.
“For our future plans we want to be on the circuit to hopefully attend the ISC tournament on Kitchener, Ont., in 2026, that’s our goal, same as the Vanderhoof Rippers and Prince George River Kings,” said Bjorklund, the Blazers general manager.
Bjorklund says the Pirates and STK are the obvious favourites but fastball fans should keep their eyes on the Jacks, a young team of Saskatchewan-born players gearing up for a run at the senior national championships in Kitchener, Aug. 27-31.
The Rippers of Vanderhoof are counting on the pitching arm of Nicholas Neid of Terrace, who has played several tournament for Team Canada. The Rippers are undefeated so far this year in the Spruce City Men’s Fastball Association.
The Bombers won’t play in this year’s ISC tournament and are taking a one-year hiatus from tournament play which Bjorklund says is a result of Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigrants in the US. The Bombers roster is predominantly made up of imported players from other countries.
Two former Bombers will be playing for the Blazers this weekend in Prince George. They’ve added Maiker Pinental, a pitcher for the Venezuelan national team, and Kyle Cowick. Pablo Migliavacca, who plays for the Argentinian national team, will also be chucking for Broken Bow this weekend. He played for Big Guy Lake last year in Port Alberni.
“A lot of these guys from South America, New Zealand and Australia come to Canada and a lot of them live in Ontario, where there are eight good teams,” said Bjorklund.
“Hill United Chiefs (the 2024 ISC champions) are from Six Nations Reserve. Their budget for the year is probably half a million dollars.”
The John Cho intermediate division is the biggest of the five, with 19 teams from Western Canada entered including a new team, the Yellowknife Merchants.
“To have them come here, I’m excited, “ said Bjorklund. “We’re trying to build a base and they’re making the effort to get here. The last time I can remember we had a team from the Northwest Territories was in 1991, when we had the Western Canadian senior B championships (in Prince George). In the old native tournament, Hay River used to come once in a while.”
The Westbank Cardinals, Cree Valley Hitmen of Prince George and Grande Prairie Masters are among the most likely contenders for the intermediate crown. The division also includes Nak’azdli Chiefs of Fort St. James, Saikuz Tigers and Lheidli T’enneh Hitmen, who all play in the SCMFA.
The women’s division has nine teams, including the Big Guy Lake A’s of Prince George. The BC Ravens of Victoria are back to defend their Prince George tournament title.
The five-team U23 division includes the Okanese Thunderstrikers of Regina, who won it last year. The Yukon Sundogs are the team to beat in the new 18U division.
STK is putting on a free clinic at the ballpark for kids aged 12-20, which will run before the first game starts on Friday. Softball Canada is conducting an U20 identification camp over the weekend that has 40 players signed up. What those players show on the field in the camp will be compiled in a database used to help determine Canada’s national team for an international tournament in October in Argentina, a qualifier for the 2027 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.
Tournament finals in all divisions are scheduled for Sunday afternoon. The A-final in the open division final is set for 2 p.m., followed by the intermediate final.
The women’s final will be at Chuck Cawdell Field at Freeman Park. The U23 and U18 finals will be at Spruce City Minor Boys Field.
