August 5th 2018

A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT

At the start of the season there were four mighty rivers from east to west: Credit, Humber, Don, Rouge who set forth atop Garrison Creek to determine which river would be the most mighty.  The Comrades of Credit endeavoured to share baseball with the masses. The Humdingers of Humber sought to regale us all with a sweet rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”.  The Valley Cat of Don vied to vanquish that little ball of string wrapped up in cowhide. And the Blush of Rouge planned on making the diamond into a runway.  So after eleven games in, would the Comrades continue their march towards the new internationalist republic of baseball? Or would the Valley Cats claw their way back to .500?  Would the Humdingers keep on humming along to a four game winning streak? Or would the Blush be blowing kisses to the adoring crowds?

If you wanna know the results…

You’ll have to keep reading to find out!

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July 29th 2018

MIDSUMMER BALL

As the season reaches the peak of summer and we begin the race towards fall, the Dreamers performed their weekly ballet under the lights of Trinity Bellwood’s SkyDome.  It was the 30th week of games in the league’s history and the cool summer night invoked the nostalgia of baseball.  But there was no day dreaming on this night as games had to be played! Could the Rouge River Blush look themselves in the mirror and know they were ready for the ball? Or could the Don River Valley Cats roar to become Thunder Cats? Would the Humber River Humdingers continue to ride the soundwaves to victory? Or would the Credit River Comrades close down the night singing Solidarity Forever?

If you wanna know the results…

You’ll have to keep reading to find out!

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July 22nd 2018

KISS ME

And so it was that on this late July evening, when a cool breeze made it feel as though a romantic comedy awaited all spectators, the Dreamers took the Field in front of a vast group of fans that included partners, friends, family, and Craig’s famous heckling dads! Would the Comrades be sixpence none the richer? Or would the Blush wear those shoes while you wear that dress?  Would the Humdingers strike up the band and make the fireflies dance silvermoon’s sparkling or would the Valley Cats lead us out on the moonlit floor? No matter who would win we were assured that all the teams would swing swing swing the spinning step beside the green green grass! But if you wanna know the results…

You’ll have to keep reading to find out!

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July 15th 2018

BE CAREFUL

Do you like dollars? Do you like diamonds? Do you like stunting? Do you like shining? Do you like big clouds of red clay? Do you like mid-game radical speech delays? Well, we hope you have answered yes to all of these questions because the Field of Dreamers came out to party like Cardi with diamonds all over their bodies!  On a gentle July evening that welcomed Marisa Berry Méndez, one of the organizers of the Northfield Softball Community in the MTL to the DRVC, the night was painted a deep bodak yellow.  Would the Blush learn a lesson about likin’ pictures not returnin’ texts or would the Humdingers turn an “L” into lessons? Would the Comrades be ready and hot like Little Caesar’s or would the Valley Cats be meowing “Quiero probar algo de ti pa’ no olvidar” when they looked at the Credit River win column?

You’ll have to keep reading to find out!

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The Dreamers Tribune: The Path to 300

What started as a little experiment to blow off some tension from days of high intensity migrant justice organizing with No One Is Illegal and maybe also as a way to find a space of commonality between my normie friends and my radical pals, the Insurgency Recreation Softball Team emerged. In the old days I’d write recaps of the games as though we were all guerillas in the mountains of Chiapas fighting against the forces of power and capital.  Little did I know that our team would come to be engaging in a political experiment, one that actually includes folks who have worked directly with the Zapatistas.

These last 11 years have gone by so quickly that I didn’t even know that I was approaching my 300th career hit this weekend. So when I stepped into the box in the top of the 6th and launched a screaming line drive that was nearly caught by my former Humber teammate and pal, Laura Pin, I touched 1st base with a feeling of nostalgia for the decade + of baseball-making that I’ve done with all of you.  Some of you have been on the ride since the very first season – I see you Ryan Hayes and Johann Juarez – and others like Jill Aoki-Barrett and Samira Banihashemi are playing along for the first time.  Our team has had legends like Saeed Basiri – who played wearing war-paint while drinking a perrier and smoking a cigarette in the outfield. Like Adrian Rodill – who once shared a diamond with former National League MVP Joey Votto, but spent the better part of six season helping crush our opponents with incredible power and defense. Like Kim Lehmann – who gave us such great teachings about thinking of play as a site of politics and relationship-building. Like Andrew Thompson – who was the first to introduce short, short, short-shorts to the league.

We play among legends.
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