From blistering bats to boisterous crowds to blazing temperatures, the 2024 Western Canadian Baseball League All-Star Game was a smashing success.
A record crowd of 6,064 baseball fans showed up to Seaman Stadium in Okotoks on Saturday, July 20th to take in the festivities, which included the SR Bats Home Run Derby, mascot races, the All-Star Game itself and a post-game fireworks show.
Here’s a look at some of the scenes from a special day for the WCBL:
The bullpen at Seaman Stadium gets an All-Star makeover before the game.The pitcher’s mound also got some extra pre-game attention.West Division players take batting practice ahead of the All-Star Game festivities.Andy Peterson (right) – a coach with the Okotoks Dawgs – tries to point out a few things to Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Matt Stairs (left) at batting practice.Joe Sergent, pitching coach with the Dawgs, tosses BP for West Division players.Nate Mensik, outfielder with the Moose Jaw Miller Express, is all smiles during batting practice.An All-Star ball cap and baseball gear sits outside the home team dugout at Seaman Stadium.Alan Simpson, vice-president of the Regina Red Sox and founder of Living Sky Sports and Entertainment (LSSE), updates broadcaster Joe McFarland (right) on the baseball stadium situation in Regina.Jordan Phillips (left), Carter Beck (middle) and Brody Alexandre (right) are introduced as East Division contestants in the Home Run Derby.West Division derby participants smile for the Seaman Stadium crowd.Nash Crowell, the hometown favourite in the Home Run Derby, acknowledges the crowd.Austin Gurney of the Moose Jaw Miller Express gets the derby started for the East Division. Gurney advanced to the final round for the East alongside Carter Beck of the Saskatoon Berries.Cooper Ciesielski takes some hacks in the derby for the Sylvan Lake Gulls and the West Division.Zach Barnao uses his timeout in the opening round of the derby. The slugger with the Edmonton Prospects would need the rest. It took two tiebreaker rounds for Barnao to advance to the final round over Jack Kalisky of the Lethbridge Bulls.Young ball players collect baseballs that don’t clear the fence as Ian Heck of the Weyburn Beavers competes in the derby. Heck, a two-way star, was the starting pitcher for the East Division in the All-Star Game and he hit a triple in the late stages of the game.Ethan Menard delivers some much-needed water to outfielder Carter Beck (left). Beck launched 11 homers to lead all derby contestants in the opening round, before falling just short in the final round.Jordan Phillips catches his breath during the derby. The representative for Medicine Hat competed for the Edmonton Prospects in the 2022 WCBL Home Run Derby. While he did not advance past the opening round of the slugfest, Phillips was the only player to hit a home run in the 2024 WCBL All-Star Game.Scott Rodges of SR Bats (left) presents Peyton McDowall (rigt) with a commemorative bat for winning the derby championship. McDowall, an infielder with the Fort McMurray Giants, had eight homers in the opening round and another six in the final to win the title over Zach Barnao, Austin Gurney and Carter Beck. McDowall dedicated the victory to his grandmother, who passed away recently.Medicine Hat Mavericks players are introduced ahead of the WCBL All-Star Game.The Moose Jaw Miller Express All-Stars share a laugh before the game.Members of the Swift Current 57’s are all smiles during the player introductions.Lou Pote, the West Division manager and skipper of the Okotoks Dawgs jogs to home plate to shake hands with East Division manager Kevin Mitchell.East Division coaches and players watch the introductions for the West Division team.The umpiring crew awaits the start of the All-Star Game.The Brooks Bombers All-Stars are introduced at Seaman Stadium.Edmonton Prospects players take part in the opening ceremonies at the 2024 WCBL All-Star Game.Fort McMurray’s Gage Ninness (left) adjusts his flowing locks as members of the Lethbridge Bulls are introduced at the WCBL All-Star Game in Okotoks.Shortstop Brendan Luther (right) salutes his fellow All-Stars from the Okotoks Dawgs.Brettyn Rose sings the national anthem before the All-Star Game starts at Seaman Stadium.Diggity gives the thumbs up to the All-Star Game festivities in Okotoks.Demetrio Archuleta of the Swift Current 57’s shoulder checks as he rounds second base and heads to third base.Calgary pitcher Tyson Kilbreath of the Brooks Bombers gets ready in the bullpen.East Division All-Stars hang out in the visiting dugout of Seaman Stadium.Regina Rid Sox catcher Diego Aragon (middle) signals for a pitch as Gage Ninness (right) of the Fort McMurray Giants awaits.A record crowd of 6,064 fans showed up at Seaman Stadium for the WCBL All-Star festivities.East Division All-Stars deliver much-needed water to their dugout. Temperatures soared above 30 degrees Celsius during the game.Brooks Bombers hitter Jouseph Gelpi waits for a pitch.Jaylen Gutierrez of the Swift Current 57’s delivers a warmup pitch as his East Division teammates watch from the visitor bullpen of Seaman Stadium.Seaman Stadium fans and the West Division dugout watch All-Star Game action.A view of the press box and the visitor dugout from the third-base foul pole.The final score saw the East Division prevail over the West Division by a 13-6 score. The East All-Stars pounded out 20 hits, compared to the 12 produced by the West.Carter Beck (left) was presented with All-Star Game MVP honours from Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer Matt Stairs (right) after the Saskatoon Berries outfielder went 3-for-3 with 3 RBI.The All-Star Game festivities ended with fireworks for the fans, players and coaches.
Tales of Baseball 