Kentville Wildcats

The Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League held its 2006 annual meeting today in Halifax. Members of all six teams -- the 2005 champion Dartmouth Moosehead Dry, Halifax Pelham Canadians, Kentville Wildcats, Sackville Chiefs, Sydney Sooners, and Truro Bearcats -- were in attendance. Following are the major topics addressed at the meeting: -- The proposal for an interleague schedule presented from the New Brunswick Senior Baseball League at the March 4 meeting was unanimously approved. The first year of the two-year proposal will see the four New Brunswick teams visit the six Nova Scotia clubs on June 10 and 11, and the Nova Scotia teams play in New Brunswick on June 24 and 25. In two years, every team will have played one home and one road game against every opponent from the other league. Make-up dates in case of rainouts will be July 3 and August 7. The presidents of both leagues praised the agreement as a step forward for the sport in the Maritimes. Jim McEachern, president, NSSBL: “This has been a work in progress for the last five years, and it’ll be a great showcase for fans to see some of the best amateur baseball teams in the country go head to head.” Lawrence Mahoney, president, NBSBL: “The interlocking schedule between the two provinces will certainly have a positive effect for both leagues. It is also my hope that this type of move will encourage more players and fans to get involved in the game.” A draft schedule has been circulated for the first year of interleague play, and a final schedule will be subject to approval by the NSSBL at its final 2006 preseason meeting. -- A three-member committee presented two options for league represenation at the Baseball Canada senior championship after the 2006 season. One option was to maintain the status quo, with the league champion representing the province at nationals the following year. The other was to form an all-star team for annual representation, represented by a core group of 11 players from the league championship team, plus two players apiece from the remaining five teams. The rationale for the latter option was to offset costs, with each team responsible for covering its players’ expenses. The league voted unanimously to retain the status quo, with the provision that if by March 1 of the following year, the league champion cannot commit to representing the province at nationals, an all-star team would be formed under the aforementioned guidelines. -- A two-member committee presented a proposal to establish league policy beginning in 2006 on post-game media availability as well as the establishment of a playoff MVP award. In addition, Jostens presented a proposal for sponsorship of the league MVP award, creating a ring each year for the winner. As part of the agreement, Jostens will become official ring supplier for any NSSBL team that wins a Canadian senior championship in the next 10 years. The league unanimously approved the playoff MVP award, Jostens’ sponsorship of the league MVP, and created a media protocol to be followed in 2006. Details of the media policy will be finalized at the next league meeting, but the major points are as follows: 1. All players and coaches are encouraged to be accessible within 10 minutes after the completion of the game to any media members. 2. All players and coaches are encouraged to be accessible for off-day interviews, by phone or in person. 3. Within 20 minutes after the completion of games, all media outlets should be contacted with, at the very least, a game score. Media outlets are asked to notify the league vice-president, either directly or through the league director of public relations, of any violations of this policy. -- The NSSBL will begin its season May 20, with each team playing 34 games. The league’s regular season is scheduled to end August 13, with playoffs underway as soon as August 19. The top four finishers in the regular season will make the playoffs. Should Sydney be involved in the postseason, both semifinal series will be best-of-fives. Otherwise, all playoff series will be best-of-sevens. -- The NSSBL held its election of officers at the meeting. Craig Gorveatt of Windsor was named league vice-president, succeeding Ann Marie Simmons of Dartmouth, who is retiring after five seasons. The rest of the league executive -- president Jim McEachern of Sydney, secretary-treasurer Kay Sperdakes of Sackville, statistician Burton Russell of Kentville, director of public relations Jody Jewers of Halifax, past-president Peter Craig of Dartmouth, and Baseball Nova Scotia umpires division chairman Jody Frowley of Kentville. -- The league's final 2006 preseason meeting will be held May 6 in Halifax.