Welland set to battle Brantford in semis for ballpark bragging rights
The pond of the Jackfish tops Kitchener’s Jack Couch Park in online fan poll
Welland Stadium can’t seat spectators until the Ontario government eases more COVID-19 restrictions but the home of the Intercounty Baseball League’s Welland Jackfish won’t be sitting out an online contest to pick the No. 1 ballpark in the eight-team league.
The 2,500-capacity stadium advanced to the semifinals of the fan poll after eliminating
Jack Couch Park in the opening round. Welland Stadium earned 75 per cent of the votes, compared to 25 per cent for the 1,400-seat home of the Kitchener Panthers.
Also remaining in the running for ballpark bragging rights is Arnold Anderson Stadium, the 2,000-capacity home of the Brantford Red Sox and Welland’s second-round opponent in the three-week contest. Arnold Anderson outpolled the
Hamilton Cardinals’ home nest, 3,000-capacity Bernie Arbour Stadium, 68 per cent to 32 in the quarterfinals.
Rounding out the final four is London Majors’ Labatt Memorial Park and David E. Hastings Stadium, home of the Guelph Royals.
Built in 1877, the world’s oldest ballpark — and the IBL’S largest, with a capacity of 5,200 — Labatt Memorial Park was the choice of 75 per cent of respondents in a first-round showdown with the Toronto
Maple Leafs’ Dominico Field at Christie Pits, capacity 3,000. Hastings Stadium outpolled Coates Stadium, the 1,500-seat home of the six-time defending playoff champion Barrie Baycats, by a 55-45 margin. Second-round voting is now underway on the league’s website the theibl.ca/ new/ibl-best-of-the-ballparks and closes 5 p.m. on Thursday.
As of Monday afternoon, Labatt Memorial Park was leading Hastings Stadium 71 per cent to 29 and Welland Stadium was ahead of Arnold Anderson Stadium 64-36.
Voting for the final begins after the close of the second round and continues until 5 p.m. on Thursday, June 25.
It has yet to be determined when — and if — Canada’s oldest amateur baseball league will begin a shortened season this year. Guelph, Hamilton, London, Toronto and Welland want to play this summer, if possible, while Barrie, Brantford and Kitchener have opted to return to the diamond next summer.