Vancouver Courier

2010 Wintergames

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Vancouver

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Pitcher blazing way to Niagara

Liam Stroud is indicative of a new wave of Herculean-like baseball players.

Catcher caught

It was late May and Tyler O’Neill was already down to counting the sleeps until the Major League Baseball draft.

Hank' swings a heavy bat

In all of sports, there may not be a more punishing position than that of catcher, and there is none tougher than Jasmine Soltys.

On Deck

The Seattle Mariners selected Tyler O'Neill in the third round of the draft (85th overall), giving the catcher with the Langley Blaze a new starting point with which to begin his next big adventure.

Burnaby Karate Academy's Alexandra Zaborniak was not given credit for a second gold medal in Burnaby NOW's Wednesday sport story on provincial karate. Zaborniak, the gold-medalist in the 14/15 advanced girls' under-54 kilogram kumite or sparring, also aged up in weight to win the 16/17 advanced u-59kg division.

Bantam Chuckers ace tosses no hitter and strikes out 16

Tyler Hoefer was near perfection for the Richmond Bantam AAA Chuckers.

Take me out to the celebrity ballgame

The Courier's own sports reporter Megan Stewart and man-about-town Fred Lee are donning sports gear this Wednesday, June 12, for a charity/celebrity baseball game at Nat Bailey Stadium. (I'll be curious to see just how Lee accessorizes this outfit.)

O’Neill signs with Mariners

Maple Ridge’s Tyler O’Neill signed on the dotted line of a contract during the weekend to play right field for the Seattle Mariners.

Bank fishing works

I hope you are finding this present series thought provoking. I know this study is giving me a deeper appreciation for the vast opportunity all sport fishers have in sharing the fisheries of our province. Now before I get in another completely different direction let’s get on with this week’s sub category, bank fishing.

Preparing to host provincials

The midget AAA Chilliwack Cougars continue to prepare for the B.C. Minor Baseball Midget AAA Provincial Championships, which they will host Aug. 1 to 5.

Excellent exhibition

G.W. Graham Grizzlies quarterback Josh Pretty is tackled during varsity exhibition football action against Mission secondary Friday at Townsend Park.

Cards' Kostuk picked by Arizona

It may have taken until the 38th round, but Abbotsford Cardinals' Kurtis Kostuk was chosen by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2013 Major League Baseball (MLB) First Year Player Draft on Saturday.

Riley Park: Then and Now

Photographer Dan Toulgoet documents how times have changed in Riley Park, matching archived images from the Vancouver Public Library and City of Vancouver Archives of streets, buildings and neighbourhhood haunts with their present day incarnations.

Riley Park: Neighbourhood numbers

3 - The number of the infamous/famous Main Street bus, where if you crane your neck just right while aboard you can see a seven-foot sculpture of a poodle near 18th Avenue. Yes, a seven-foot poodle.

Riley Park: Open House

Specs: Four-bedroom, two-bathroom heritage home located one block from the restaurants and shops on Main Street and within walking distance to Hillcrest community centre, Nat Bailey Stadium and Queen Elizabeth Park. General Wolfe elementary school is also one block away. "Younger working families live in the neighbourhood," said realtor Ryan Hawk of TRG Realty. "The main focus here, I would say, is quality of life and people not overextending themselves and having a comfortable house to live in." Completely rebuilt in 2006, the 1,555 square-feet home is one of five City of Vancouver-classified heritage houses along the sloping stretch of East 27th. The row of houses was built in 1912. Isabella Shirley had her son James Alexander Shirley build the houses and the family maintained ownership until 1962. Gross taxes for 2013 are $3,245 and strata maintenance fees are $199.