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Sharpe saves baseball

Dez Loreen
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, June 5, 2008

INUVIK - Construction crews are looking for volunteers to help set up a temporary baseball diamond.

Project leader Vince Sharpe announced last week he wanted to make a field for the slo-pitch players' use while awaiting a permanent solution.

NNSL Photo/Graphic

Jennifer Kalinek is one of the eager baseball players ready to start the slo-pitch season. Both fields are out of commission due to construction work, but thanks to the efforts of Vince Sharpe and local businesses, a temporary fix is being planned for the space behind the Aurora College. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

Work is scheduled to start on the field this week, concluding by the end of the month.

Curtis Field is out of commission to make way for the construction of new schools.

Meanwhile, Inuvik's second ball diamond near Sir Alexander Mackenzie school is being renovated until mid-July.

Sharpe made his case to town council, May 26, for allowance of the temporary field and for some supplies.

"I know I can get other contractors in to help on this," Sharpe told the council.

He admitted the town was reluctant at first because they could not think of a location for the temporary fix. Sharpe then recalled the old Grollier Hall diamond, behind the current Aurora College building.

"We talked to Peter Clarkson, who got approval from the Department of Education, so we got access to the land," he said.

The idea to start pushing for the construction of the temporary field arose from a friendly challenge.

"It all started last week - someone sent me an e-mail and challenged me to do it," he said with a booming laugh.

"They said if there is anyone who can push this forward, it's you."

Seeing a demand and no supply was a no-brainer for Sharpe.

"Nobody was doing anything about it," he said.

"I decided, well that is the kind of thing I do, I started working on it."

The work involves a backstop installation and field preparations.

"I'm going to make sure a backstop fence is installed soon," he said.

He mentioned a few teams have stepped forward to rake the field with red dirt for the infield.

"The town is supplying crushed rock for the outfield," said Sharpe.

The crushed rock is not the best for an outfield, but as Sharpe said, "It ain't grass, but it's better than mud."

Northwind has come on board to grade the field, making it smooth and even for play.

The field will not be fenced in, but Sharpe said that bleachers will be set up for an audience to spend the days watching the game.

One slo-pitch player who can't wait to get back in the game is Jennifer Kalinek, who has played locally over the past eight years, and has been a member of as many as three teams in her time.

She said the temporary field is being made at just the right time.

"We usually start our season in mid-June," said Kalinek.

She would rather not see a summer without baseball.

"When I heard Vince was going to create a field I had a huge smile on my face," she said.

"I started wondering who would make teams. I'm positive others in town had the same reaction."

Kalinek believes that baseball is Inuvik's most popular summer sport.

"Baseball is a great workout for people of all ages," she said.

She said when Inuvik had two fields, they were used non-stop play.

"We'd often stay after league games because we didn't have enough," she said.

She added it would be nice to keep the league going this year, because last year local tournaments had visiting teams from across the Territories come to play.

"It would be really nice to have more teams from around the Beaufort Delta to come and join because it's nice to see new players," she said.

Kalinek was concerned the community would let the season go by without any stable leagues to play with.

"Evidently, this sport will not go unrecognized; there is too much interest from this community," she said.

"Quyannini, thank you Vince."