Homers, hugs and high fives punctuated the 2023 Western Canadian Baseball League All-Star Game & Home Run Derby.
If you dig the long ball, come to the ballpark for spectacular diving defensive plays, or just enjoy collecting player autographs and watching the mascots race each other, odds are you left the WCBL All-Star festivities at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks with a smile on your face.
The event had a little bit of everything, as you can see from the photos below.
As far as results go, catcher Hank Dodson of the Sylvan Lake Gulls outlasted Swift Current 57’s outfielder Ethan Murdoch in the Home Run Derby, while the West Division defeated the East by a final score of 10-4. But there were winners all over the diamond, in both dugouts and in the stands.
Here’s a look at some of the magic from Saturday, July 15th in Okotoks:
Stars adorn the mound at Seaman Stadium in Okotoks.Ethan Murdoch of the Swift Current 57’s takes batting practice ahead of the Home Run Derby. Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Matt Stairs and Okotoks Dawgs Media Coordinator Jacob Sarro watch behind the netting.Diggity invades the HomeTeam Live broadcast booth during BP!Ryan Dauphinee, infielder with the Weyburn Beavers, is the first Home Run Derby participant introduced to the crowd.The derby hopefuls take the field. From left to right: Nash Crowell (Dawgs); Eric Rataczak (Bombers); Nathan Tarver (Mavericks); Ethan Murdoch (57’s); Austin Gurney (Miller Express); Ryan Dauphinee (Beavers); Hank Dodson (Gulls); Bennett McCollow (Giants).Austin Gurney gets ready to send a pitch deep. He collected seven homers in the opening round.East Division coaches and players watch Austin Gurney go yard during the derby.Nathan Tarver of the Mavs turns on a pitch in the long-ball competition. He finished with five homers.West and East All-Stars watch Sylvan Lake Gulls catcher Hank Dodson clobber baseballs. Dodson smashed 13 long balls in the first round.Bennett McCollow of the Fort McMurray Giants prepares to send some baseballs onto the Kore 4 (+14) Corner patio. He struck for six round trippers in the derby.Eric Rataczak of the Brooks Bombers put up 12 dingers in the long-ball competition, just one shy of the mark set by Hank Dodson.The Dawgs pit crew takes care of Nash Crowell during his 30-second timeout. Crowell finished the day with 10 bombs.Ethan Murdoch (left) had the tall task of matching Hank Dodson in the final round of the derby. In the end, he finished with seven bombs, while Dodson had eight homers.Former MLB star Matt Stairs (left) presents Hank Dodson (middle) with a commemorative silver bat for winning the Home Run Derby. Hank’s father, Drew (right), traveled from North Carolina to pitch to him in the competition.Regina Red Sox pitcher Zane Pollon signs autographs for young fans.A mix of East Division helmets await players in the visitor dugout.Ken Larson and Merv Ozirny were recognized before the game for their years of service in growing the Western Major Baseball League, the predecessor of the WCBL. Both men were presented with plaques and commemorative baseball bats.West and East All-Star players and coaches line the base paths ahead of the Canadian national anthem.Third baseman Connor Crowson of the Okotoks Dawgs is announced as a West Division starter.West Division starting pitcher Ty Boudreau of the Sylvan Lake Gulls gets loosened up in the bullpen.Moose Jaw Miller Express third baseman Dawson Tweet throws a grounder to first base.Gulls assistant coach Wyatt McKnight takes a selfie with fellow Sylvan Lake mate Johan Weisner.The selfie view of McKnight (left) and Weisner (right) as seen from McKnight’s phone.West Division All-Star players stand atop the East Division dugout and throw prizes into the crowd.Medicine Hat Mavericks coach Kevin Mitchell (centre) breaks into a dance move as East Division players look on.Fans seek autographs in the East Division bullpen area.Nature artist Jim Rataczak – whose son Eric participated in the Home Run Derby and represented the Brooks Bombers in the All-Star Game – brought his sketch pad with him and painted this image of the home dugout at Seaman Stadium.Nathan Tarver was the final out of the game. Ryan McFarland of the Dawgs got the win and Devin Benavides of the Lethbridge Bulls closed out the contest. The scoreboard displayed the 28-hit barrage from both teams and the final tally of 10-4 for the West over the East.Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Matt Stairs (left) presented Kalem Haney with the 2023 WCBL All-Star Game MVP honours. Haney hit a go-ahead home run in the fifth inning that broke a 4-4 tie and gave the West a lead they would not give back.Fireworks lit up the ball diamond to put an end to an outstanding evening in Okotoks.
