For a week-and-a-half, a global sports spotlight shone on our city. And, thanks to the efforts of hundreds of volunteers, we delivered a fabulous World Junior Baseball Championship.
From those who handled much-higher than expected ticket sales, without a computerized sales system, to the people who drove around athletes for 10 days, to the volunteers who sold 50-50 tickets in the jammed stadium stands, to everyone who made sure the players from other parts of the world were just made to feel like home over their 10 days here.
Yes, the championship was a great success. At the gate, an estimated 50,000 took in the games at the Port Arthur Stadium and Baseball Central. The city hasn't seen crowds like that since the days of the Whiskey Jacks in the early '90s.
On the field, the games were first-rate, filled with great tension and excitement, especially over the last two days at the stadium. Unfortuately Team Canada came up a bit short, but can take some satisfaction knowing that the team that knocked out its gold medal chance, Chinese-Tapei, ended up as the overall champion.
Reps from the other countries, along with the Interational Basball Federation officials, say the event here was perhaps the best ever. It makes us feel proud to live in Thunder Bay, and makes us want to think of hosting a similar event in the future.
Well done everyone!
