… Three-day softball extravaganza set for Labour Day weekend

By Frederick Halley
IN 2015, 2017 and 2019, the Ontario Masters Softball Cricket Clubs (OMSCC) successfully staged the Toronto Cup international tournaments. This year the tournament is being rebranded Canada Cup 1 under the aegis of the Ontario Twilight Softball Cricket League (OTSCL), headed by past OMSCC president Azeem Khan.
Set for Labour Day weekend, September 2, 3 and 4 at various venues in Toronto, the three-day extravaganza is expected to feature teams from host Canada, New York, Florida, Guyana and Orlando and will be played in three categories – All Stars Open, Masters Over-40 and Legends Over-50.
The organisers are aiming for a total of 22 teams with eight each in the All Stars Open and Masters Over-40 and six in the Legends Over-50 with teams being accepted on a first-come basis. An exhibition Over-60 game is also planned for the day of the finals.
According to the organising committee, the objective is to ensure that Canada Cup 1 is a memorable and special event for all especially for the out-of-country teams while maintaining the image of “we look forward to playing in Canada anytime”.
The OTSCL is in its first year and is also in the process of playing its first full season this year and, according to a release, it is led by a management committee comprising individuals with a proven track record in the area of managing softball cricket in Ontario.
The Canada Cup 1 organising committee includes former OMSCC executive members Feizal Bacchus and Dickey Singh and well-known Guyana Chronicle freelance journalist Frederick Halley. The OTSCL intends to engage a few others in the committee shortly.
The weekend tournament will start off with an Opening Night reception on Thursday, September 1 for participating teams while games will be played in the Toronto area, starting on Friday morning with the finals on Sunday, followed by a presentation ceremony.
Toronto’s Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson, who was a special guest at the finals in 2019, was quite impressed with the proceedings, praising Khan and his executives for their great initiative in hosting the tournament.
Thompson who was presented with a plaque for his unstinted support pointed out that the softball tournament was a demonstration of the skills of the players. He had assured then that the city was working assiduously to ensure more cricket fields are made accessible to the community.
The previous three Toronto Cup tournaments saw Trophy Stall providing sponsorship for all the winners’ trophies in all three categories – All Stars Open, Masters Over-40 and Legends Over-50.
Meanwhile, interested teams are sked to contact OTSCL president, azeem.khan@otscl.ca or on 647-298- 8286.