'You can feel the vibe in town': Chatham Barnstormers inch closer to inaugural season in IBL
The boys of summer are in Chatham, Ont.
Eighteen months after the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) approved the Maple City as its newest franchise, first pitch is near.
“It really is right around the corner,” said pitcher Aiden Ryan of Tecumseh about the season opener on May 17 in Brantford. “We come here [Fergie Jenkins Field] every Saturday, and get work in.”
The Barnstormers are currently preparing with batting and pitching work indoors for the upcoming season. Just a few feet away from the Ewald Homes Field House, the results of the nearly $200,000 in improvements to Fergie Jenkins Field are starting to take shape.
Stadium upgrades include a new pathway, LED lights and 575 bleacher seats on each side of home plate which will triple capacity. They were needed as the 600 season tickets have already sold out.
“I think every night we’re going to be packed,” said Harry Muir, Barnstormers general manager.
He continued, “We're adding some more bleachers and in right field [beyond the fence] we have like a right field section for families. We're going to have standing room down the right field line over by the bullpens. There's going to be people in here and it's going to be loud. It's going to be exciting.”
Two new sets of bleachers add an additional 575 seats at Fergie Jenkins Field in Chatham, Ont. The bleachers are part of a $195,000 renovation to the field as they prepare for the inaugural season in the Intercounty Baseball League. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)
The construction didn’t stop there. A new clubhouse and training facility is being built on the west side of the fieldhouse.
“We're going to treat this more like a professional team, and like a minor league team,” said Muir.
He added, “I think we're the only club that has an indoor batting cage batting area right next to the field. Our new clubhouse is right here. I hope to help with recruiting next year, because with so many big leaguers in the past like Fergie Jenkins and Bill Atkinson, we're hoping that this little kids will have a dream, and this is kind of the feel of a big league ballpark.”
Back inside where they are getting their baseball work in, hometown native Spencer Marcus is ready to play in front of family and friends in the inaugural season.
“I don't think it's all set in yet,” said Marcus, an outfielder at Niagara University. “Maybe the first day, or first pitch the nerves will set in. It’s big vibes here in town, and it’s exciting to hear of all the people talking about it [the new team] and all the season tickets being sold. I'm pumped up.”
The Barnstormers season begins May 17 in Brantford, with the sold out home opener the following night on May 18.
A new clubhouse is being constructed next to the current fieldhouse at Fergie Jenkins Field in Chatham, Ont. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Speaker kicks Poilievre out of Commons over unparliamentary comments
Speaker Greg Fergus kicked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre out of the House of Commons during question period today.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation is the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
Judge raises threat of jail in hush money trial as he holds Trump in contempt, fines him US$9,000
Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined US$9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. And if he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.
Court upholds Milwaukee police officer's firing for posting racist memes after Sterling Brown arrest
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a former Milwaukee police officer was properly fired for posting racist memes related to the arrest of an NBA player that triggered a public outcry.
Video captures deadly wrong-way police chase on Highway 401 in Ontario
A new video has surfaced showing a vehicle being pursued by police in the wrong direction on Highway 401 moments prior to a fatal crash that killed four people, including an infant and their grandparents.