The Staal brothers are going green and they’re asking World Junior Baseball Championship fans to put their pedals to the pavement and follow along.
Opened Tuesday, the aptly named Bike Staal has taken over the off-leash dog park for the duration of the international event, encouraging ticketholders to leave their cars at home and ride a bike instead, knowing there’s a place for them to safely park and lock their ride.
It’s a great idea, said New York Rangers defenceman Marc Staal, the second eldest of four hockey-playing siblings.
“It’s kind of cool with all the bike racks and everything, to get people who live relatively close to bring their bikes to the games. It’s good for the environment and it’s a lot of fun. And we’re Dutch, and all the Dutch people in the Netherlands ride bikes everywhere,” he said.
Older brother Eric said they were approached by tournament officials about some sort of promotion during the WJBC, and this one made perfect sense, given what the brothers do for a living.
“It’s obviously a great concept, us being pretty active people. It’s a great opportunity for people to get outside and enjoy the weather we’ve had this summer and support this event here in Thunder Bay,” said Eric, entering his seventh season with the Carolina Hurricanes, his first as team captain.
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jordan Staal, still recovering from off-season surgery to repair his Achilles tendon, said getting people out and about is great for their health, and like his brother Eric, said it’s a perfect fit for their family, a cause he was more than happy to get behind.
“With our line of work, we do a lot of (physical activity) and it’s enjoyable. It’s always nice to be in good shape and feeling good about yourself, and it’s a good thing,” Jordan said.
“And I think the NHL is big on going green. Obviously this event here is big for going green.”
The World Junior Baseball Championship runs through Sunday.
