No quit in the Bearcats
Visiting Ontario horseman happy to see old friends
It hasn’t been a stellar season for Truro’s Senior baseball team and Adam Lombard knows they will have to play their best to make the post season.
It was Monday evening when I talked with Truro Bearcats centre fielder Adam Lombard.
A day earlier the Senior Bearcats suffered a tough 4-3 extrainning loss to Halifax Pelham Molson Canadians in Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League action.
The veteran Lombard and the Bearcats headed into Memorial Park in Kentville Wednesday night for a big game against the Wildcats. Truro came away with a narrow 3-2 win, to improve their won-lost record to 5-16. The team still has hopes of catching the 5-15 Wildcats for the fourth and final playoff spot. It would be a great way to help salvage the 2017 season.
“We’ve played good baseball these past several games,” said Lombard, 31, of Truro. “Our veterans stepped up and the way they played, other guys tried to match what they were putting out. Johnny Chapman has gone out on that mound and given everything; Jeff Chisholm and Darson Murphy have been real leaders.”
Lombard remains hopeful as the regular season winds down.
“We have to keep believing we can win, each player has to bring his best every game. We don’t want to put pressure on ourselves but we definitely have to be ready, mentally and physically, for the whole nine innings every game for the rest of the season.”
Lombard, as a seven-year-old, played mosquito baseball at Willow Street School Park and Victoria Park.
His father, Reid Lombard, and Bruce Peers coached him quite a bit during his early years in baseball.
“When I think back it was a very exciting time, getting into baseball after coming from an underhand and softball background.”
A veteran of seven years in senior baseball, Lombard’s developing years included three seasons playing midget baseball under his father and Peers; he also spent five years in intermediate baseball with Truro Giants.
In Wednesday’s 3-2 victory in Kentville, pitcher John Chapman was outstanding, picking up the
win for the Bearcats, while Alex Ostrov took the loss for the Wildcats.
The outcome left Kentville clinging to fourth place, just onehalf game ahead of Truro, who were slated to host Halifax on Friday night.
The Wildcats had eight games remaining and the Bearcats seven heading into Friday. As Lombard pointed out, he local club has to be up for every game.
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Atlantic Grand Circuit Week was an outstanding week for Truro Raceway with fans treated to some great racing. The Lindsay Construction Exhibition Cup produced a new track record as Crombie A, an 11-year-old, shattered the old mark by pacing in a blistering 152.4.
Elektra Express, a local favourite, won her division of the Frank and Beth Stanfield Memorial for threeyear-old Maritime-bred pacing fillies in a time of 1.56 Owned by Danica Ellis of Brookfield, the fast filly was driven in the rich $25,670 race by her husband Ryan Ellis.
The driving challenge saw four Ontario drivers go against four local drivers and it created a lot of interest.
Mike Saftic, Paul MacDonnell, Richard Zeron and Carl Jamieson represented Upper
Canada while Danny Romo, Clare MacDonald, Bernard McCallum and Dave Carey drove for the east. Jamieson is originally from North Wallace and began his driving career in Truro. He had many fans trackside.
“It’s great to be back in Truro,” Jamieson said. “I talked to horsemen and race fans I haven’t seen in years. Friends like Emmons MacKay, Dave Carey, Danny Romo, Clare MacDonald and Roy Burton… it was great. I also talked to several trainers.”
In Race 6, Jamieson drove P J Camdex leaving from post four and he led the field most of the race.
“Around the five-eighth pole I thought I had a shot,” Jamieson recalled. “I was hoping my horse would stay brave and maybe hold on. But during the last end of the mile he let go and we finished fifth. I certainly didn’t draw very well for the day; I had three seven holes and the four hole.”
The highly successful Ontario horseman was pleased to spend time with an old friend.
“When I started out racing horses in Truro, I knew Gary Fielding. I boarded with Gary’s grandparents, they were really nice people. It was great to see Gary, we’ve been friends for a long time. At first I didn’t know Gary, it’s been so long since we talked.”
Jamieson named Elegant Clean and Duke Of Abby as horses that helped make his career.
“It’s been all about working hard and having a bit of luck,” he said.