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WHITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 1977, PAGE 13 Base bail season opens with parade on -May 28 This Saturday, May 28, the Whitby Minior Basebal Association off icfially kicks off the 1977 Whitby baseball seiason. Opcning day which hlas coine lu bc known as Minior Basebail Day in The Towni of Mliby, anid is 'traditionaily hieId on the iast Saturday in May, secs the officiai start, of the local basebali season even thoughi sonie clubs hiave aiready seen action. This xiii be the ninth season f'or tie W.M .B.A.wlvichl began in 1I969. After eighit seasons and neariy four thousand bail gamies the local associat ion airea dy hias înany niemories, some of triumphi and sonie of disappoint nit, but the mios ' important thing lias been accomplished, and that lias been the W.M.B.A. aimi to provide an organized programmie fot only for the gifted atimete but also for the flot so gifted xvho make up the major share of the neariy 600 boys registered to play basebail. This Saturday the boys of the association wiIl gather at Kinsmen Park on Walnut St. at 9:30 a.m. and parade through the downtown area to Peel Park where the officiai opening cerenionies will take place. The Mayor and other local dignitaries %viii partici- pate in the traditional throw- ing of the first bail to mark the opening of the season. President of the W.M.B.A. Ken MacDonald, reports that there wili be over thirty clubs in house league action and four Whitby clubs entered ini the Eastern Ontario Basebali Association Tyke, Pee-Wee, Bantam and Midget series. The W.M.B.A. has house league programmes at Tee- Bail, Tyke, Pee-Wee, Bantami, Midget anid Juvenile ieveis, with schedules which extcnd throughout the summer months winding up in Septembe r. The W.M.B.A. began in 1969 with 335 boys and 21 teams, and over thc years lias becorne acknowledged as one of the best mninor organizations ini the province with a pro- gramme that su1rpa sses inany communities of greater size. In 1970 Rusty Staub tiien at the zenith of his popularity with the Expos, sent a tele- grain on Opening Day extendc- ing besi wishcs to the boys of Whitby, and only a few montlîs later he was in Whitby ini person to attend a testi- monial banquet honoring tic K of C Tyke club xvhic i in only its second year captured the On tario Tyke A crown a feat it \vas to repeat ini 1973. Also in I1970 Whitby was visited by Geo. McQuinn at that tinie a scout with flic Expos and the former Yankee first basenman of many years, deliitecl Uhcaudience at a clinic lie conducted with his many reminiscences of thec great Yankee clubs of hlis era. In 1971 the K of C club xvent to the Ontario Finals before dropping out at the hands of Stratford. 1972 was a vintage year for thic W.M.B'A. as three of its club took E.0. B. A. crowns and house league play- offs were exceptionai. The Canadian Tire midget club went to the Ontario finals to climax a great season but were victims, of Larry Landreth. who had a brief stunt as a starter with the Expos late last year and who is now pitching with Denver in Triple- A bail getting -more seasoning before, hopefuliy, lie cornes up to the majors to, stay. '72 also saw the first Xhitby-Oshawa Midgc t tourna- ment which has quickiy becomne knowvn as one of the top events of Ontario basebail. The tourncy will be hieid again this yêar on July i16 anci 17 when somne of the top Midget clubs in Ontario con- verge on thc area for txvo days of top-notch competition. In '72 the association had 33 clubs under its wing and organized for the first tinie, a Tee-Bail league for boys 6-8 years. This group has had outstanding success giving boys thei first taste of base- bail and giving tIieni their first instruction andi experiemîce witiî the gaine ini the nîocified version whcre thc baIl is batted off a tee rather tlîan throxvn by a pitciier. Ini '73 the K of C club broughit the Ontario Tyke A tiLle back to Whiitby and at the banquet held ai the Legion Hll to hionur the club Ron Woods wvio xvas ini the outficld for the Expos was the gucst speaker. In '74 on1e of the nost satisfying moves for thc W.M.B.A. xvas the organiziîîg of a succcssful Bantam- Midgct flouse icague replac- ing the original Bantami Flouse icague and ini '75 this grew in a Midget-Juvenilc league. Clubs frorn Oshawa and Courtice have playcd iii this group and there is pienty of spirited competition and rivairy. The W.M.B.A. makes another step forward this season with the opcning of Iroquois Park and wlîen the lights are instailed at the ncw faciiity it wiil sce plenty of action. Although the W.M.B.A. and the Whitby Merchants Senior club are not directiy reiated the two groups work together, with the mînor organizat ion provid- ing the training ground for players who eventualiy graduate into Jr. and Sr. ranks. This year the W.M.B.A. has purchased a pitching machine which, is lioused at the Peel Park nortiî diamond and it is hoped il will fila long standing necd. With the comning of the Blue Jays and basebali fever at an ýali-tim1e ilîi it siîapes up as a banner yeair for the W.M.B.A. Umpires clinic Rod Filiier, Unîipire-in- Chief for the Whitby Minor Basebail Association has annouinced that a clinic for unipires wiil be helcl Saturday June 4 at 10 a.m. at Whitney Hall in thli roquLois Park Are na. The cliiîic wili deal witl il areas of the basebali mIle book and unipire technique, and will prove valuiable as a refreshier for those who have officiated in the past, and for those who wouild like to try their hand at umipiring for thme first timie. The W.M.B.A. with house leaguies for tyke, pee-Nvee, bantam, and midget and juvenile players is always sorely in need of volunteers to help in handling gamnes at ail levels. In additionî to tihe heavy schedule of house league activity Whitby clubs are also entered in thme tyke, pee-wee, bantain and midget series of the Eastern Ontario Basebail Association. MUJSEUM OPENS Mrs. Esther Bryant, a spinner and weaver from Oshawa, demonstrated the pioncer art of spinning wool at the opening of the Lynde House Museum May 21. The Lynde House Museum, operated by the Whitby Historical Society, is iocated on Highway 2 at D'Hillier Street, and is open from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday to Sunday throughout the summer. Free Press Photo ARE YOU*EUlgGIB LE 'TO VOTE on Thursday, Jane qtl, Qualified voters must lie on the NEW List of VOTERS in order to vote. It's up toYOUto get on the lit DO IT NOW91 EJCHECK NOW- Do YOU have *'Form 103"? A new List of Voters is compiled for every Election, [i By now you should have a receipt (Form 103-see iliustraton)-proof that you have been enumerated and therefore are eligible ta vote. Take Form 103 with you to the Polling Place when you go to vote at the Advance PoIl or on Election Day, ( June 9th ). Cbecmk Now - do YOLJ have fonia 103? *You are eligible to vote if you are 18 and over, a Canadian citizen or British subject and have resided in Ontario for at least the 12 rnonths preceding Election Day, ( JUNE 9TH ) and your name is on THE NEW LIST 0F VOTE RS. E jCHECK AGAIN-YOU HAVE NO 'FORM 103"? Possibly you were flot at home on the two separate occasions when the officiai Enumerators called. If you do nof have a Form 103 (as ilîustrated), then you are not on the new List of Voters and. therefore, wili be neligible to vote on June 9th UNLESS YOU ACT NOW! IT~S VOUR LAST CHANCE. E~J CHECK-IN ORDER TO VOTE-lT IS YOUR RE- SPONSIBILITY AND NO ONE ELSE'S TO CET YOUR NAME ON THE NEW LIST 0F VOTERS. EJCHECK-PHONE the Refurning Officer in your Elec taraI District f or the necessary information of how fa get on the List of Voters-at the number isted below. Listen carefully and have a pen and paper ready ta jof down the information. EU CHECK-RURAL RESIDENT? If you live in a rural area, and are qualified ta vote, it wilI be much easier for you ta vote on Election Day, ( June 9th ), if your name i9 on the List of Vofers. However, qualified rural voters, nof on the list before Elecf ion Day, may sf111 get on the isf and vote by having a frlend or neighbour on the same polling subdivision'iist "vouch" for them on Oath at the palling place. appcopavingltd. Aja Pickering Pavung Company Ltd. IPaving -Excavating -Haulage l 9H'arwood Ave. North, Ajax, Ontario. Tel 68C-1661 Residential Industrial- Commercial 655-4484* PETE BARKER HI THERE 1i We are interested in YOU. We need peopti tb volunteer with the retarded. Day and Evening programns. Calil 668-7745, Ext. 435 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Babysitting available! DR. JOHN B. CHUAROT announces the opening of his office for the general practice of dentistry. at 319 Brock St. S. Whitby PIaýa Whitbv. Onitario