John Chapman, player/coach for the Truro Bearcats senior baseball club, was named the Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League MVP on Wednesday morning. Chapman batted .441, leading the league, and also pitched for seven wins. Ryan Cooke – Truro Daily News.
The Truro Bearcats utility man and co-coach was named the Nova Scotia Senior Baseball League’s most valuable player on Wednesday morning.
Chapman, who batted .441 this season in his return to the Bearcats organization, also won the batting title, was named a league all-star at third base, was named co-recipient of Coach of the Year and won the Gary MacDonald Gold Glove and Gold Bat Award for most player of the game selections.
Chapman returned to the organization after spending a year with the Kentville Wildcats, and was part of an attempt to rescue the Bearcats from folding.
After four years of missing the playoffs, the team underwent a management shuffle with former coach James MacPherson stepping aside, leaving nobody at the helm of the club established in 1977. Chapman and longtime friend and teammate Scott Baillie stepped in to coach the club back to the playoffs.
With Chapman playing nearly every position on the diamond, including throwing 77 innings for a 2.57 earned-runs-average, the Bearcats paved the way back to the post-season with a second-placed league finish.
Chapman is the first MVP of the Nova Scotia senior league since Craig Higgins received the honour for his third time in 2006.
Last night, the Bearcats faced off with the Halifax Pelham Molson Canadians in Game 4 of a heated semifinal series. For game results, head to TruroDaily.com.
2014 NSSBL award winners:
MVP – John Chapman, Truro
Coach of the Year – Bob Gillis, Dartmouth; John Chapman, Truro
Right-handed pitcher – Matt MacDonald, Dartmouth
Left-handed pitcher – Cameron Marling, Dartmouth
Catcher – Matt Denney, Sydney
First base – Greg West, Dartmouth
Second base – Adam Lucas, Halifax
Third base – John Chapman, Truro
Shortstop – Matt Doudelet, Dartmouth
Designated hitter – Darren Doucette, Dartmouth
Outfieldes – Chris Head, Dartmouth; Jake Pelham, Halifax; Mark Phillips, Dartmouth.
Gary MacDonald Memorial Gold Bat and Gold Glove Award – John Chapman, Truro
Susan MacEachern Memorial volunteer award – To be determined
