The intermittent crack of wood on cowhide pierces the rumble coming from the mowing tractor that’s criss-crossing the outfield at Christie Pits park.
The Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) Maple Leafs, the other franchise in blue, the ones with the iconic “T” leaf on their ball caps, are going through their pre-game routines, and team owner Jack Dominico is miffed that the city left the grass cutting until the last minute.
He confers with team manager Perry Mader, who sends somebody to ride shotgun on the lawn mower so the driver doesn’t get dinged by a baseball during batting practice.
The IBL, founded in 1919, is the oldest and, according to baseball watchers, the best independent baseball league in Canada. Many storied ex-pros played out their careers on IBL teams – pitchers Denny McLain, Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins and Paul Spoljaric and, probably most famously, Blue Jays outfielders and East York natives Rich and Rob Butler.
After triple-A baseball left town with the International League Maple Leafs in 1967, Dominico stepped in to fill the void.
“There was no baseball in Toronto at the time,” says the North Bay transplant whose legendary exploits in the northern fastball leagues was matched only by his impressive sales credentials. By 1969, Dominico had raised enough cash to buy his way into the all-Ontario league and started to build the new franchise from scratch.
Two years ago, the city officially named the biggest ball diamond in the park Dominico Field in honour of Jack and his late wife, Lynne. Together the couple ran the team for 40 years, breathing new baseball life into the community.
“We just had a clinic last week. There were 50 kids here,” says Do-minico on a hot Sunday afternoon in early June. “We always help these kids. At the end of the season I have a lot of stock in there,” he says, referring to the bats and balls in the clubhouse. “We give it to them.”
Dominico is as hands-on as ever in his 46th season running the Maple Leafs. His squat frame, approachability and confidence in all things baseball are reminiscent of legendary L.A. Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda.
“It’s in the blood,” says Dominico, 76. “I’ve gotten to see a lot of players, maybe 500, 600 over the years. I get ’em jobs if they need a job, and if they’re hurtin’ I will definitely look after them.”
When the Blue Jays put Mader on the suspended list in 1986 after he threw his arm out, Dominico called him up to pitch for the Leafs.
“I’ve been here ever since,” says Mader, 51, who pitched several seasons for Dominico before he became manager of the club.
It’s no field of dreams for most players in the IBL. For most, a shot at the big leagues has passed them by. Toronto’s squad features mostly collegiate players on scholarships in the U.S.
In front of the dugout, players are rummaging through the bat bag looking for their favourite piece of lumber before taking their turn at the plate for pre-game batting practice.
Bowmanville native Jon Waltenbury swats one to deep centre. Two summers ago in mid-season, Domi-nico gave up two excellent players for Waltenbury, who was playing for the Barrie Baycats and leading the league in home runs at the time.
Waltenbury, 27, was drafted in 2006 by the Minnesota Twins. He tooled around in the minors for five years before finding his way to the IBL. He works in landscaping and construction when he’s not spraying the outfield with long balls.
“It’s a highly-competitive league. It’s a lot of fun.” Which is Waltenbury says he keeps coming back.
Younger teammates in the on-deck area watch closely and mirror Waltenbury’s every swing.
Shortstop Connor Lewis, 20, a Brampton native, is a sophomore at Dodge City Community College in Kansas.
“I just want to get better at hitting,” he says. Like other teammates who play college ball in the U.S., Lewis finds the IBL a perfect training ground for staying sharp over the summer. “Learning from guys like Waltenbury, I know it’s just going to make me a better hitter,” says Lewis.
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The wooden bleachers behind the backstop at Dominico Field are only three rows deep, so most fans prefer to make themselves comfortable on the grassy hillside. On this scorcher of an afternoon, the early arrivals are settling in with their snacks and drinks in the shade of the oaks and sycamores on the periphery of the park.
“I like coming down here better than going to Jays games,” says Mathew Tudball, who’s settling into one of the park benches overlooking the third base line. He and his father, Gord, have been coming into town from Scarborough for years to follow Intercounty baseball.
“It’s better ball, I find, faster-paced,” says Mathew. “And you get a suntan,” adds Gord. “Hot dogs are great, and admission is free. Except when you get a parking ticket.”
All the other teams in the IBL charge admission, but because they operate in an unenclosed public park, Dominico’s Leafs can’t take in gate receipts and have to rely on advertising to make ends meet.
“It’s Rawlings baseball glove day!” With a roll of tickets in hand, Alan Ross announces today’s draw prizes as he weaves his way through fans lounging on the grass.
Ross has been criss-crossing the hill at Christie Pits to sell raffle tickets during games since 1973. Tickets are $2 each or three for five bucks.
Says Ross, “This kind of takes the place of your admission, and you get a chance to win a prize.”
Over the loudspeaker, the game announcer barks out the batting order for both teams. The visiting Brantford Red Sox embarrassed the Leafs a couple of days earlier with a late-inning come-from-behind win. The Leafs usually feature half a dozen ex-pros on their roster, but this year’s team has only two.
“We went with a younger team, trying to build some foundation here,” says Mader, explaining that all the teams in the league are constantly building and rebuilding to stay competitive.
Holders of 19 pennants and eight IBL championships, the Leafs are the winningest team in league history, but so far this season they’re struggling to stay in the top five of the eight-team league.
Crack! A lead-off double by Red Sox Benjamin Bostick. The second baseman scores on centre fielder Terrell Alliman’s single.
In the bleachers behind home plate, Brent Ruttman is meticulously keeping stats in his spiral-ringed notebook. The McDonald’s worker has been coming to games since the 1990s.
“It’s high-quality ball,” says Ruttman. “You’re outdoors, and there’s a sense of community here.” He follows all the teams in the league. Asked how he thinks the Leafs are doing, he whispers from behind the back of his hand, “They’re right where I thought they’d be, a 500 club.”
The Leafs’ Lewis tries to steal second, Bostick gets in his way and is called for obstruction. The ump sends Lewis to third. The Leafs second baseman, Dan Marra, flies out, but Lewis tags up, slides home and scores.
Robert Konjek is poking his camera lens through the backstop fence to take pictures for his blog, On The Christie Hillside. He posts game reports and stats after every game.
“Best memories are those random events that you see when an outfielder comes in to pitch or a pitcher will go to bat,” says Konjek, an IT worker for the Ontario government.
“It’s the interaction between fans and players that makes it much more interesting and enjoyable than major league baseball.”
Waltenbury fouls off a pitch. It ricochets off the blue port-a-potty perched high on the hill by Christie Street. Dominico’s volunteers hustle after all the foul balls and return them to the dugout. Waltenbury flies out to deep right catcher Brendan Keys grounds out. After one complete inning, we’re tied at one apiece.
In the second inning the Leafs explode for six runs, and the Red Sox never get back in the game. In the later innings, we’re back to seasonal temperatures and cloud cover. The old guys in ball caps perched on their camping stools near the portables are busy nattering and scribbling box scores into their free programs.
Final score: home team 11, visitors 3.
“It’s a fun thing. If you don’t have fun, stay home,” says Dominico. “This is a great neighbourhood, and it would seem funny if I ever didn’t come here on a Sunday.”
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