River Kings back in the swing
The Prince George River Kings have done it before. Eight times in fact. Seven of those men’s A Division titles at the Canadian Native Fastball Championships came in consecutive years. From 2000 to 2006 the River Kings ruled the roost as national champions.
Starting this Friday at Spruce City Stadium, they’ll begin their quest for yet another crown as hosts of the tournament for the first time since 2004.
Reunited on the ball field nearly a month ago when they won the Canada Day native tournament at Spruce City Stadium, the River Kings proved it wasn’t so difficult to shake off nearly a decade of rust which began to accumulate in 2007, when the team broke up after placing third in the tournament.
“Even though we haven’t played together for the last three or four years, it’s still the same guys and we’re there to have fun and play ball,” said River Kings 45-year-old catcher Chad Ghostkeeper. “We’re getting older but we can still play.”
At the Canada Day tournament July 3, the River Kings edged the Westbank Cardinals 3-2 in the championship game, having defeated the NB Petro Hawks of Regina in a semifinal playoff.
“When you get to those finals, all it takes is a couple errors either way and half the time that determines the game and it lucked out for us that they made an error and we got two runs off it,” said Ghostkeeper. “It was a close game and both pitchers were good.”
The defending-champion Cardinals and the Hawks (the 2014 champions) are among the 28 teams entered in the men’s division. Like the River Kings, they’ll be coming back to Spruce City Stadium armed with a few more weapons than they had earlier in the month.
The chance to play in the native nationals is a big drawing card and teams are always on the hunt for talented players, usually pitchers, who could put them over the top on the final day. The River Kings will have at least three pickups for the tournament, including pitchers Travis Nevin of Indian Brook, N.S., Grant Patterson of Toronto, and one other Nova Scotia player, a utility infielder. The River Kings will pay their travel expenses and provide food and lodging while they’re playing this weekend.
“Grant Patterson is a vet, he doesn’t overpower but he’s smart with the ball,” said Ghostkeeper, who has played with Patterson.
“He can hit but he’s just there to pitch.
“Travis Nevin is a young guy. We saw him in Kelowna at the May Day tournament (playing for Chetty’s Pretty Boys of Ochapowace, Sask.) and he threw the ball good but he’s also a good hitter. We have a lot of people who want to play for us.”
The core of the River Kings roster has been together since 1992, when – known as the Lumber Kings – they won their first fastball tournament. They played at the International Softball Congress world championship in 1994 in Victoria and finished ninth out of 52 senior A teams.
Ever since the River Kings disbanded in 2008 due to financial constraints and the costs of traveling to tournaments, River Kings veterans Ghostkeeper, infielder Randy Potskin and shortstop Evan Potskin have been picked up by other teams looking for national success. Last year, Ghostkeeper, the two Potskins and pitcher Collin McKenzie helped the Peguis Braves of Manitoba finish second to Westbank at the native nationals in Winnipeg.
“Evan has a lot of natural talent and skills and if he’s on he can definitely win these games for you,” said River Kings player/ coach Keith Henry.
“Randy usually plays field but now that he’s older (48) he’s moving to the infield.”
Most of the players on this year’s River Kings team are old enough to play in the masters (over-40) division. The River Kings have lured Lance and Laurel Potskin out of retirement and have added Randy Potskin’s son Jared, who will lend some speed to the outfield.
Henry, 42, will share with Lance Potskin some of the defensive duties at first base or he might come in to hit but won’t be in his usual spot at pitcher. He’s nursing a torn ACL and the pitching motion aggravates the pain he feels from his wonky knee.
If they do run into trouble in the pitching department, left-hander Norm Linton pitched for the River Kings in the Canada Day tournament and Ghostkeeper is also a capable chucker.
This promises to be one of the largest fastball tournaments the city has seen in decades, with 70 teams involved. That includes 12 teams in the master men’s division, 22 women’s teams, six master women’s teams and a 10-team junior (under-21) division.
Team Big Man of Manitoba, the third-place finishers in the men’s division last year, will also be coming to Prince George.
“This is one of the biggest (turnouts) for this tournament,” said Henry. “People like coming to Prince George. They like our facilities and they like the crowds. The fans here will pack the stands at Spruce City right to the end. With the River Kings, we’re hoping that playing in front of a hometown crowd will give us an advantage on the diamond we’ve played on so many times.
“(Winning the Canada Day tournament) showed everyone who played with us that the team can still play. We realize teams are missing some players but we played against two of the top teams who will be at the (national) championship and we beat them. For many of the teams coming this is the one big tournament they look forward to all year.”
The three-day double-knockout tournament starts Friday and runs through Sunday. If rain delays the schedule, some of the playoffs will be played on Monday, the B.C. Day holiday.
Eight city fields will be called into service.