It was one of the most thrilling games of baseball I’ve had the chance to watch. It was clear – this team was no longer a basement dweller, nor a flash-in-the-pan. They were here to play real baseball against real contenders.
There was just one problem – next to nobody was there to watch them.
Through five home games this season, the Bearcats have a 4-1 record, which is astounding, really, considering the lack of fan support.
Sure, there are the same fans that show up every game, regardless of opponent or the weather. They are the same people with their Bearcat baseball hats who stand around and chat about the good old days; the same fathers who bring their kids; the same group of guys who ruthlessly heckle the opposing teams. They are real fans and deserve all the credit in the world. But they are few and far between.
Where has the rest of the community been?
It was the same story last season when the team bounced back from being literally on the verge of extinction to mounting a stretch drive to the playoffs. They did it largely by themselves.
These are guys who work their tails off 9-5 throughout the week, and do the same on the diamond in the evenings. They deserve a little more attention – from us all.
And this month, they’ll give us the opportunity to do just that.
The schedule makers of the Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League are not exactly known for a fair and balanced calendar, and so the Bearcats will kick off a lengthy home stretch on Monday against the Dartmouth Dry. They’ll be at home all month, with seven straight games at TAAC Grounds.
It will be a huge month for the Bearcats club. They sit just one game back of Sydney and Dartmouth, both tied for top spot. Halifax is just one game below Truro with a 6-7 record, while Kentville sits last with a 2-8 total.
This will be the month where teams finally jockey for positions and put distance between themselves and others. Truro has the opportunity to do it all on their home field. So let’s do these guys a favour.
Give them a home crowd.
The Bearcats host the Dry on Monday and Tuesday, with both games going at 7:30 p.m. For a full schedule, visit www.Bearcats.ca.
Tagline: Ryan Cooke is sports editor of the Truro Daily News