By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

Nine games down, four remining at the Canadian Futures Showcase.

And prior to each game the instructions are the same to the respective bat boys:

Here’s your helmet ... when the ump raises four fingers that means he is running low on balls ... so you run out four baseballs to him ... you can sit on that stool outside the dugout ... watch out for foul balls.

And finally ...

When someone hits a home run you take the Home Run jacket off the hanger and give to the player who hit the home run.

In both the first and third dugouts hang a blue navy jacket -- much like the Toronto Blue Jays Home Run Jacket. One difference ... rather than different countries listed on the back, each province is listed.

For nine games, the jacket has not moved.

An old-timer told Nigel Wilson (Ajax, Ont.), a coach for Team Black, “now had they had that post-homer tradition when you were in Japan you would have put tailor shops out of business”.

Wilson, an Ontario Yankees coach, hit 119 homers with the Nippon Ham Fighters and the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes in six seasons. In 1997 and in 2000, he hit 37 homers each season.

Same for Team Navy coach Jamie Romak (North London, Ont.) who hit 155 homers with the Yokohama Bay Stars in Japan and SK Wyverns in Korea. He hit 32 in 2020 when he won the Canadian Hall of Fame’s Tip O’Neill award.

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Futures Day 1 - Cheong, Ellis, George, Laird, Rompre

Futures Day II — Dessureault, Kiss, Kooy, Rudge

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A few thumbnails of the 161 participants ...

Webber Wildcats RHP George Hobbins (Calgary, Alta.)

Name: RHP George Hobbins

Hometown: Calgary, Alta.

Current team: Team Red.

Travel team: Webber Academy Wildcats.

Committed: Not yet.

Who is the most influential person in your baseball life and why? “Roberto Suppa (Palgrave, Ont.), who was my coach in Ottawa with the Capital City Reds 16U. He pitched at Cornell. We still talk now. He helped me a lot with my mental game. He made me into the player I am.”

What was your greatest day on the ball field? “I’ve had a few good days. I pitched a no-hitter against the Edmonton Padres in Edmonton, think the final was 7-0. I walked two and struck out 12.”

Who is your favourite player and why? “Spencer Strider, Atlanta Braves (a 20-game winner in 2023, currently on the 60-day injury list). He has a high spin rate like I do. Some people say that I remind them of him. He has real good composure.”

If not a pro player, what’s the next best job for you when you grow up? “Either physiotherapy or being a chiropractor. I’d probably study kinesiology, maybe become a trainer with a sports team.”

The most important life lesson you have learned from the game? “My grandpa Chuckie told me when two pitchers have the same stuff, what speaks the most is who has the best head on his shoulders.”

What four people (living or passed away) would you invite to a mythical diner and why? “My grandma on my mother’s side, Carolyn, Roberto Suppa and my parents. My grandmother has always been my biggest supporter, Roberto has been such an important person in my life, plus my parents Sarah and Chad. They both work for the federal government in Calgary. The move west wasn’t too difficult. We’ve moved before living in Pointe Claire, Que., Ottawa and now Calgary.”

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North Shore Twins OF Finn Hoechen (North Vancouver, BC)

Name: OF Finn Hoechen

Hometown: North Vancouver, BC.

Current team: Team Red.

Travel team: North Shore Twins.

Committed: Not yet.

Who is the most influential person in your baseball life and why? “My mom, Dr. Kara Hoechen, and my dad, Chris Hoechen, who is a lawyer. When I was younger (in 2022), I hurt my knee. All of a sudden I could not run as fast as before. Then, I was limping and I kept playing. Turned out I had broken my knee cap. I’m back running OK now.”

(He was sixth fastest man in the building on Tuesday -- .035 ticks out of second.)

Who are the most influential people in your baseball life -- besides your parents -- and why? “Coach Fred Sabatini and Brooks McNiven. I played for coach Fred on the Bullpen team. He once sat me in a big tournament because I was not playing up to my potential. His message wasn’t ‘be better than your teammates,’ it was ‘be the best version of yourself.’ Brooks made sure I made Team BC. I couldn’t hold the bat at tryouts. But he had seen me play and stuck up for me and told the head coach I would be a good addition.”

What was your greatest day on the ball field? “When we (Team BC) beat Quebec in the Canada Cup final at Fort McMurray. It was a great atmosphere, the score was not close -- 13-0 I think -- but winning the nationals is something I’ll always remember. I had the first hit of the game ... singled, doubled and walked.”

Who is your favourite player and why? “Ronald Acuna, Atlanta Braves. I know he is out with a knee injury. He was so explosive and so fast.”

If not a pro player, what’s the next best job for you when you grow up? “A businessman. It would open some doors. I’d like to do marketing for a sports teams. I want to stay in involved in sports.”

The most important life lesson you have learned from the game? “That you can’t take anything for granted. I have missed some time ... it is so easy to take playing every day for granted.”

What four people (living or passed away) would you invite to a mythical diner and why? “Ken Griffey, my mom’s grandpa, Papa Solmudson, Matson Waring a childhood friend who moved away and John Haar. Griffey had such a smooth swing, he battled injuries and made it to the Hall of Fame. Mom’s grandpa used to catch so many fish at the lake. Waring and I have been best friends since grade 8, but he moved to Victoria. He didn’t move far away, hut he’s busy with hockey and I’m busy with ball. I seldom see him. We just retired coach John’s uniform No. 6 this summer. All kinds of alumni came to honour him and told funny stories about playing for John, who coached Canada to a gold medal with the Junior National Team in 1991, is in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys, the BC Hall and others.”

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Mississauga Tigers OF Quinn Lightfoot (Caledon, Ont.)

Name: OF Quinn Lightfoot.

Hometown: Caledon, Ont.

Current team: Team Red.

Travel team: Mississauga Tigers.

Committed: Not yet.

Who is the most influential person in your baseball life and why? “My grandma Sandra. My grandmother always keeps encouraging me to stay positive.”

Who is the most influential person in your baseball life -- besides your family -- and why? “My coaches Greg Byron and Sean Travers. I’ve played for a long time -- seven years in Brampton, one year in Milton. So, I knew baseball, but I didn’t know true baseball until I went with coach Sean and coach Greg. They both got me where I wanted to go.”

What was your greatest day on the ball field? “Probably the first and last game of the Mickey Mantle championships at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. We beat Next Level from Long Island in the first game, I was 2-for-3 and knocked in a run. In the semi-final, we lost 3-2 to BOA Oklahoma and I had an RBI double, a single and a walk. We were 6-2 trying to be only the second Canadian team to ever win the Mickey Mantle World Series.”

Who is your favourite player and why? “I have three: Jackie Robinson, Dave Winfield and Adam Jones. Jackie Robinson opened the doors for so many players. He changed the game. Growing up, I was probably the only person of colour in Caledon. When people compare my size and the way I play, they compare me to Winfield or Jones. No, I won’t be drafted in three sports like Dave Winfield was (baseball, basketball and football), but I was an OK volleyball player.”

If not a pro player, what’s the next best job for you when you grow up? “Something in the medical field like kinesiology or maybe a chiropractor.”

The most important life lesson you have learned from the game? “How to come back in a sport with the highest failure rate and maintain my relationship with God.”

What four people (living or passed away) would you invite to a mythical diner and why? “Jesus Christ, Jackie Robinson, Simone Biles and Usain Bolt. I would have so many questions for Jesus and would like to talk to a historical, respected figure like him. Jackie Robinson overcame experiences in day-to-day life and didn’t retaliate. Simone is the top gymnast in the world, but in 2020 she was ready to do her event and walked away -- she couldn’t perform -- and this year at the Paris Olympics she was the best gymnast in the world again. Bolt owned the title of the fastest human in the world, I’d like to gain his perspective, plus he is from Jamaica, where I’m from and was not as fortunate growing up as I was growing up here in Canada.”

Okotoks Dawgs C Taye Thierman (Calgary, Alta.)

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Name: C Taye Thierman

Hometown: Calgary, Alta.

Current team: Team Navy.

Travel team: Okotoks Dawgs

Committed: Not yet.

Who is the most influential person in your baseball life and why? “My parents. My mom, Christa, is a dental hygienist at Millennium Dental. My father, Sam, a private banker, always told me and taught me to stay calm. He grew up in Lethbridge and played at the Prairie Baseball Academy.”

Who is the most influential person in your baseball life -- besides your parents -- and why? “My coaches with the Dawgs -- Aaron Ethier, Jeff Duda, Bretton Gouthro ... and sometime Tyler Hollick, but mostly he is with the older teams. They have all dedicated their days to making me get better. Aaron helped with the blocking drills. Coming out of bantam and being the youngest player on the team it took me a while to catch our hardest throwers like Robert Scalzo, Jerome Pare, Michael Yusypchuk and Will Labonte.”

What was your greatest day on the ball field? “At the bantam nationals in 2023 in Laval, Que. we were losing to Nova Scotia, who beat us the year before. Their guy was carving and we had runners on first and second. I hit a three-run homer to right field to win. I lost my mind. It was a no-doubter. I flipped the bat high -- higher than Jose Bautista ... and mine was cooler.”

Who are your favourite players and why? “Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies, Jackson Holliday, Baltimore Orioles. Even though he’s not a catcher, he was the best young hitter in the world playing JUCO at Southern Nevada as a 16-year-old. I could learn a lot from his swing, it is so smooth. Mine is similar to his -- when he was 18, I’ve watched You Tube videos and clips. I’m a fan of the whole Holliday family. Matt is coaching in Oklahoma after a long career in the majors, it’s so cool Jackson is 20 and playing in the big leagues and his brother, Ethan, is projected to be a No. 1 pick.”

If not a pro player, what’s the next best job for you when you grow up? “If I’m not a pro player, well ... I’ll be sad. Probably something like my dad. He invests in businesses and handles mortgages.”

The most important life lesson you have learned from the game? “That you never ever get too high after a good game and you never get too low after a bad game. Like I hit .500 as a bantam and probably batted .200 my first year of midget. You can’t change your swing. You can never get down on yourself.”

What four people (living or passed away) would you invite to a mythical diner and why? “Albert Einstein, Babe Ruth, Bryce Harper and Wayne Gretzky. Einstein because he is so smart, The Babe because I’d like to see what kind of bat he used, Harper because he’s my idol and Gretzky because he’s the greatest hockey player ever and my father’s favourite.”

Great Lake Canadians INF Jack Ward (Paris, Ont.)

Name: INF Jack Ward

Hometown: Paris, Ont.

Current team: Team Navy

Travel team: Great Lake Canadians.

Committed: Not yet.

Who is the most influential person in your baseball life and why? “My parents. Both my mom, Dawn, who works for Charles Jones and my father, Mark, who works for Tigercat (forest harvesting) ... both have made a lot of sacrifices. They pay for things. My pop hits me ground balls at our home diamond, Green Lane.”

Who is the most influential person in your baseball life -- besides your parents -- and why? “My coaches -- Chris Robinson, Adam Stern, Jamie Romak, Derek Bloomfield and Brock Kjeldgaard. From Day 1, Chris has always been supportive and the same for Adam. I have hitting lessons with Jamie and Derek ... well I’ve been with him since I was 12 years old since I left the Brantford Red Sox. Brock was my coach this year and he values my abilities.”

What was your greatest day on the ball field? “Today ... playing at the Rogers Centre with my friends like Roen Douglas (Petrolia, Ont.).”

Who is your favourite player and why? “Bobby Witt, Kansas City Royals. He’s a great five-tool athlete. He does everything right on the field. He’s so fast and so aggressive.”

If not a pro player, what’s the next best job for you when you grow up? “I’d like to do something in sports. Maybe coaching or sports management.”

The most important life lesson you have learned from the game? “Not being too hard on yourself ... you have to look ahead.”

What four people (living or passed away) would you invite to a mythical diner and why? “My grandfather on my father’s side, Keith, my grandmother on my mother’s side, Bonnie, Bobby Witt and Derek Bloomfield. I’d love to talk to my grand parents. Talking to Bobby Witt, I could learn from his experience. I’ve been with Derek Bloomfield the longest.”

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Pro scouts on hand: Blue Jays (six), Cincinnati Reds (three), San Diego Padres (three), Kansas City Royals (two), Philadelphia Phillies (two), and one each from the Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Oakland A’s, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals and the Tampa Bay Rays.

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Schools on hand …

Four year schools: LSU, Georgia State University, Brigham Young University, Gonzaga University, Michigan University, St. John’s University, Utah University, University of Illinois, Indiana University, Washington State University, Boston College, University of Connecticut, Eastern Michigan University, Sienna College, Canisius College, Niagara University, Hofstra University, University of British Columbia, North Dakota State University, East Central University, University of Mary, University of Rochester and Hamilton College.

Two-year schools: Dodge City Community College and Tyler Junior College.