February 12, 2021

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

The first time I ever visited Okotoks, Alberta was Jan. 21, 2011. It was the day that the Blue Jays traded Vernon Wells to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Jim Amy had walked me through the snow drifts -- me with my Toronto shoes on -- of Seaman Stadium and then we walked into the Duvernay Fieldhouse.

Two high school pitchers were throwing bullpens.

A hitter was doing damage to a ball off the tee.

And then I saw a coach at the far end hitting infield.

All this baseball going on while it was freezing outside.

Then, George Strait’s “I Can Still Make Cheyenne,” came on the radio.

“What is this heaven?”

No, it was the home of the Okotoks Dawgs

And this was in 2011, eight years before trainer Savannah Blakley, photographer Angela Burger, coach Lou Pote and fireman Geoff Scott brought me back to life. Twice. The foursome make up the Okotoks angels.

I look forward to visiting Seaman Stadium again, once everyone is vaccinated — the brand, new, spruced up Seaman Stadium. While 2020 was dormant for the Dawgs and the Western Canadian Baseball League, a summer league for collegians, workmen were busy at the stadium.

The Dawgs have added a new hospitality area they will call Core 4 (+14) Corner. The new seats in the left field corner extend from foul ground into fair territory -- much like the left field seats known as the Crawford Boxes at Minute Maid in Houston.

The name pays homage to the original Dawgs Youth Team. People who were around back then will assume the Core 4 refers to Jim Henderson, Emerson Frostad, along with Vince and Matt Ircandia, who at different times, were the core of that youth squad.

But it really isn’t about them specifically. There are no set core 4 in the Dawgs like the New York Yankees core 4 of SS Derek Jeter, RP Mariano Rivera, LHP Andy Pettitte and C Jorge Posada.

The core players given different ages and development cycles of youth players, changed from year to year. That’s the odd trailer (+14) was added.

That entire group of players over achieved and put the Dawgs on the map. All had college scholarships or pro opportunities and had to endure being chased off every field in southern Alberta. Yet, those 14-16 year olds stayed committed and were enthusiastic about 100 games on the road every year. That’s why the name Core 4 (+14) Corner.

Just as the people in the Core 4 transformed from year to year, the 14 were constantly changing from year to year as well. At one time or another the amorphous 14 included:

_ Future pros: James Avery (who pitched at Niagara University and then the Cincinnati Reds), Tanner Osberg (New York Mets) and Jeff McDonald (Prairie Baseball Association and the Colorado Rockies).

_ Those who went on to school: Cameron McLeod (University of British Colombia), Mick Dickson (Hill College), Todd Kocon (Cardinal Stritch), Justin Cardinal (Mesa, Az.), Nick Elliott (New Mexico Junior College), Scott Traquair (Jamestown), Frank Ingram (Thompson Rivers University), Chad Coutreille (Huntsville-Alabama), Will Gardner (PBA, Eastern Oregon) and Drew Taddia (South Dakota, Mendocino, Calif.)

_ As well as Jeff Johnston, Braven Bosch and Riley Czervinski.

The current Dawgs classes includes sons of some the best players in the country. Their fathers have serious baseball pedigrees but chose to send kids to the Dawgs, even if they’re still coaching and it’s across the country.

For example: Ty Doucette, son of Darren Doucette (Halifax, NS) who played seven years in the St. Louis Cardinals chain; Henri Griffin, son of Baseball Quebec board member Marc Griffin (Quebec City, Que.), who played five seasons in the Los Angeles Dodgers and Montreal Expos systems; Tyrelle Chadwick (Kamloops, BC), son of former major league arm Ray Chadwick and Conor Pote (Fort McMurray, Alta.), the son of Los Angeles Angels reliever/life saver Lou Pote.

The additions to the stadium specifically are:

- Four new, elevated, hospitality areas with bar seating, extensive counter tops along the top of the family berm and extending around the left field corner.

- A new elevated viewing perch reminiscent of the Green Monster or Crawford Boxes atop of the left field fence. The Core 4 Corner Perch has already captured fans attention so much -- even in a pandemic -- that it’s sold out.

- A new concessions outlet with hot and cold food, BBQ, and a complete menu of ballpark food and beverages.

- A large new visitor’s clubhouse that sits field level underneath the viewing perch and now forms the left field wall.

Although record crowds have been over 5,200 in the past, actual official capacity had been 4,800. With Core 4 official capacity will now be increased to 5,004, although larger Canada Day and Father’s Day crowds are expected.

While attendance will increase, that was not really the motivation behind Core 4. The cost is estimated at $1.5 million. With consistently packed houses, the idea was to keep the fan experience at the highest level. It’s not fun being cramped in like sardines. This provides a much more fan friendly atmosphere.