Baseball Benefits from Thunder Bay International Baseball Association

THUNDER BAY – Three baseball organizations will benefit from a fund established by the Thunder Bay International Baseball Association (TBIBA) after the very successful 2010 World Junior Baseball Championships. Lakehead University Baseball Club, the Thunder Bay Border Cats, and the Thunder Bay Umpires Association will share $5,000 which represents the awards for baseball programming and development in 2015.

“While event hosting continues to be a primary focus of the Thunder Bay International Baseball Association, the success of the 2010 World Juniors has allowed us to support baseball development in the community,” stated Larry Hebert, President of the TBIBA. “The TBIBA has now contributed $20,000 dollars in the last four years. All three groups receiving funds this year are to be commended for their efforts to sustain and grow the game of baseball in our community,” added Hebert.

The three groups receiving funds this year from the TBIBA include Lakehead University Baseball Club who will participate in the Partners in Sports Program with the District Catholic School Board and Lakehead Public School Board instructing Grade School students in the skills of baseball ($2950) ; Thunder Bay Border Cats who will run numerous youth baseball clinics this summer to help support baseball programming in the city ($1250); and, the Thunder Bay Umpires Association will receive funds for umpire development as they work to sustain and develop the important function of umpiring to support baseball at all levels in Thunder Bay ($800). Every year, candidates are chosen and presented with funds to assist local baseball development programs in Thunder Bay. The candidates are chosen based on an application process. The application deadline is in the fall of each year.

Representatives of the two groups were in attendance at the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame to receive cheques from the TBIBA. Jason Hart, Head Coach, Lakehead University Baseball Club, Brad Jorgenson, Owner/General Manager, Thunder Bay Border Cats and Ken Story of the Thunder Bay Umpires Association will be on hand to receive the cheques.

The TBIBA would also like to note that baseball programming in Thunder Bay will be on display at the Sports Dome during the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce “Outdoor Show” slated for the weekend of February 27^th through March 1^st. Drop by the display in the “Clubhouse” section of the show to catch up on what’s happening in the local amateur baseball scene. For more information on the TBIBA, go to www.worldbaseball2017.com.