The Cannons may have departed Calgary last summer, but professional baseball is alive and well in our city.
Just across the street from the U of C campus, Burns Stadium will be hosting two minor league teams: the Outlaws of the Canadian Baseball League, and the Dawgs of the Western Major Baseball League. Both teams will play exclusively against other Canadian squads.
This is the inaugural season for the CBL, a minor pro league that will be unaffiliated with the major leagues. The league is rounded out by teams in Kelowna, Victoria, Trois-Rivieres, Montreal, London, Niagara and Saskatoon.
The Outlaws’ season opens with a four-game series against the Kelowna Heat running May 22-25. Taking the mound for the Outlaws in the opener will be former Anaheim Angels right-hander Shad Williams. Following the opening series they travel to Victoria for a quartet of games against the Victoria Capitals.
Calgary’s team boasts three native sons: right-handed pitcher Thomas Gayef, outfielder and former CFL player James Hemphill, and first baseman Trystan Wall.
The Outlaws will be managed by former major league catcher Jody Davis, who played 1,082 games with the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs, capturing a Golden Glove and two National League All-Star berths in the process.