Baseball fandom in Okotoks hit a milestone on Friday on a winning note.
The Okotoks Dawgs recognized their one-millionth fan to come through the gates of Seaman Stadium since the WCBL team set up shop in the community in 2007 during a pre-game ceremony on June 24.
“This is not an exaggeration, I was on the concourse in June of 2007 when the stadium gates opened for the first time,” said Dawgs director William Gardner during the ceremony. “On that first June night that we opened this stadium and Mayor Bill McAlpine stood beside me and he asked me, ‘How do you think it’s going to be? What sort of crowd do you think we’re going to get?
“I’m proud to tell you I’m the most optimistic of the entire bunch and I said, ‘We’re going to have over 2,500 people here tonight.’”
As Gardner explained, at the time of opening, the views past Seaman Stadium were different at the time with little development in the area and clear views of the road leading to the friendly confines.
“At about 6:30 we looked up main street and there was a line of cars,” he added. “If you’ve ever seen Field of Dreams, it literally looked just like that.
“We knew that night we had something special happening and we knew that night would be a success and we knew that night we had resonated in this community.”
The Dawgs have routinely been ranked in the top-three in Baseball Digest’s top attended summer collegiate teams in North America.
Expanded seating and stadium upgrades have continued at the ballpark with the Core 4(+14) corner unveiled last summer, giving fans a state-of-the-art left field porch to take in the game.
The capacity at the park is now over 5,000, a figure which was met on Father’s Day under less than ideal weather conditions as Okotoks and Moose Jaw took to the field.
Longtime season ticket holder Michael Elphick was recognized as the one-millionth fan through the gates on June 24 and presented with a commemorative home plate plaque and Dawgs jersey.
“Tonight we’re celebrating our one-millionth fan, not anything to do with the Dawgs or our organization,” he said. “This has everything to do with you, the greatest fans in all of baseball.”
The fans were treated to a well-rounded performance from the home team on Friday.
Veteran hurler Graham Brunner improved to 5-0 on the season, pitching six innings, allowing one run and striking out seven as Okotoks romped to a 10-2 triumph over the Sylvan Lake Gulls.
Dawgs Academy graduate Micah McDowell was a terror on the basepaths with four stolen bases and three runs as Okotoks manufactured 10 runs on just six hits.
Leadoff hitter Brendan Luther paced the offence with three RBI, infielder Alex Stufft drove in a pair with McDowell, Aidan Rose and Jake Morrow all batting in one run.
The victory was Okotoks’ fourth straight, improving the Dawgs to a WCBL best 18-5 record.
Okotoks is back at Seaman Stadium on June 25-26 as the road team versus the Edmonton Prospects.
The Dawgs are home again for the Canada Day weekend homestand from June 30 to July 2.
For more information go to dawgsbaseball.ca.
