Thunder To Host Midget Tournament

Kingston Midget Thunder announced it will be holding an OBA sanctioned tournament at Woodbine Park on the weekend of June 15, 2012.

Click here for derby details.

Kingston Midget Braves 1952 - 2011

Kingston Baseball Association Midget Braves Baseball Club

2011 EOBA record 10-13; 5^th place

2010 EOBA record 18-6; EOBA A Division Champions

2009 EOBA record 15-7; 2^nd place

2008 EOBA record 9-7; 2^nd place

2007 EOBA record 7-12;

2006 EOBA record 12-4; 1^st place; OBA “A” Provincial Champion (gold) defeated Tecumseh 11-1

2005 EOBA record 8-10; OBA “A” Provincial Championship Runner-up (silver) defeated by Sault Ste. Marie 2-0

2004 EOBA record 11-11; OBA “A” Provincial Championship Runner-up (silver) defeated by Sault Ste. Marie 5-2

1995 EOBA “AA” Champion

1994 EOBA “AA” Champion

1982 OBA “AA” Champion defeated Riverside

1971 OBA “A” Provincial Champion (known as Kingston Blaney’s Midget Ponies) defeated Welland

1961 OBA “A” Provincial Championship finalist defeated by Chatam, Ontario

1952 OBA “A” Provincial Championship finalist defeated by Mimico Note: 1952-1982 clubs were not known as the Braves

Kingston Thunder vs Kingston Baseball Association: The Saga Continues

Waiting ‘til next year is a familiar baseball refrain heard in dugouts and bleachers wherever the game is played. Waiting ‘til next year for the baseball inclined is an exercise in fantasy where imagined goals are often achieved in daydreams (or mental visualization in sport psychologist clinic speak); where past games are discussed, embellished and where memories of great baseball characters and baseball plays are kept alive. The game’s off-season is also a time for reflection and improvement, a time for building a team for the future.

In the off-season before the start of the 2011 schedule, the two minor baseball organizations in the Limestone City agreed to advance a bit closer to amalgamating into one strong league. The Kingston Baseball Association fielded an EOBA rep team in the mosquito and midget divisions while the Kingston Thunder placed EOBA entries in the peewee, minor bantam and bantam divisions. Under this agreement, any player in the Thunder organization that wanted to play rep ball in the mosquito or midget division was obligated to try out for a spot on the KBA Braves roster and any KBA player wanting to play peewee or bantam tried out for the Thunder.

At the start of the 2011 season, the Kingston Midget Braves resembled something out of a Bad News Bears movie, a team comprised mostly of 16 year old rookies that would be competing against 18 year olds and the Braves manager had his work cut out. Fortunately the Braves were also a group of coachable ballplayers eager to learn the game and by the late stages of the season, the Braves began putting notches in the win column and were building the foundation for the next two seasons. The team ended the season on a winning streak with a 10-13 record, tied for 5^th place in the EOBA loop and the future looked bright.

Suddenly that bright future for the Braves faded to black when the Kingston Thunder recently decided they would field a midget team in the EOBA during the upcoming 2012 season and of course that means raiding the Braves roster for all players that reside within the Thunder’s boundaries. The Thunder organization apparently wants to build on the success of their bantam and minor bantam teams with graduating players rounding out their midget roster. This bold move says a lot about their organization and answers the question whether the Thunder are interested in doing what’s best for the game of baseball in Kingston or doing what’s best for the Kingston Thunder. Fair play should extend beyond the Woodbine Park ball diamonds into the Thunder’s executive hierarchy but these things happen when adults are involved in children’s games.

The KBA midget Braves were a charter member of the Eastern Ontario Baseball Association, having fielded a team in one guise or another since the league formed. It is a sad turn of events for the game of baseball in the City of Kingston in a season that marks the 140^th anniversary of the first official game of baseball played at the Kingston Cricket Grounds on Dominion Day, July 1^st, 1872.

But this too, shall pass.

KBA Alumnus To Be Enshrined In Cooperstown

Mike Koreen's article about Whispering Bob Elliott and his early days involved in Kingston baseball.

OBA Titles for Kingston Fathers & Sons

While tooling around the Kingston and District Sports Hall of Fame website the other day we came across an interesting tidbit of information.

"Jim Arniel, a member of the great Ponies teams of the last century and his son, Doug, a member of Kingston's 1967 senior Ponies team, are the only father and son from the city to win OBA titles."

In fact Jim and Doug Arniel were the first father-son winners, followed by Joe Devine, a member of the Kingston Midget A Ponies who claimed the 1971 Ontario Baseball Association championship title and his son Brad Devine, a member of the midget A Kingston Braves who won the 2006 OBA title. Both Devines were catchers.

Kingston Thunder Announces 2012 Executive

2012 Executive

President: Don Parkinson

V.P. - House League: Daryl Parkinson

V.P. - Rep: Matt Steele

Treasurer: Carol Steele

Secretary & Registrar: Sandra Brash

Fund Raising: Marilyn Eimers

Executive Director: Brian Gowsell

Diamond Scheduling: Carol Steele

Umpire-In-Chief: Matt Steele

Public Relations & Advertising: Kim Parkinson

Equipment: Rick Lambert

Diamond Improvement – Mike VanKoughnett

Coaching and Development – Randy Casford

Indoor Baseball Training Facility

Regular visitors to our dugout read what we had to say regarding an indoor training facility for Cook Bros arena in February 2010.

http://ktowndiamonddogs.blogspot.com/2010/02/consultants-hang-one-over-plate.html

Indoor Baseball Facility Required

Since the soccer dome collapsed last year, the baseball and softball inclined in this area are left out in the cold when it comes to winter workouts. This needs to be addressed says Randy Casford, former Ponies player and manager and current bantam Thunder coach.

Hockey and soccer isn't the only sport in town, contrary to what most think.