A passion for baseball born in Okotoks is returning to the world stage.
Mason Cameron, the grandson of longtime Okotoks residents Bert and Donna Cameron, is returning to the Intermediate 50-70 Baseball World Series this week in Livermore, California.
“It’s just a feel-good story with how it started,” said Donna. “We came here in ’82 and Bert coached our son (Jim) ball and a whole pile of kids and it’s continued from there.
“He’s holding up the Cameron name in the Little League World Series.”
Mason, who was born and raised in Germany and is on the Europe-Africa regional team at the World Series, was first introduced to the sport through his grandpa.
“When we were over in Germany, we were in their backyard and Mase was five and he was saying to grandpa, ‘What can we do?’ And Bert said have you ever played baseball?’” Donna recalled. “Their national games are soccer and he had no idea what baseball was.
“So he said to Mason to go get a stick and a ball. Mason comes out with a stiffer, rubber hose, no bat, and a small little ball. Bert then put a rock on first base, second base, third base and he gave him all of the basics.
“One of the first pitches, Mason with this rubber bat hit this little ball over a hedge into their street and we were all just laughing.”
Mason has proven to be a dynamo in the sport.
The 13-year-old competed at worlds last year in Taiwan and this year has moved up to the 50-70 division where the mound is higher and the bases are farther apart.
At the 2023 worlds, Mason finished second among all position players in the double plays and put outs category, with 40.
Mason’s father Jim is the manager of this year’s team.
Donna was unable to attend last year’s worlds in Taiwan, but is excited to make the trip to California to take in the competition this week. Bert, a lifetime sports enthusiast, passed away in 2022 at the age of 74 after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.
“The whole family is going to this one,” Donna said. “How do you say no to something like this?
“It is a feel-good story, it started basically in Okotoks, continued overseas and now it’s doing his grandpa’s heart good and I wish his grandpa was here to see this.”
The tournament runs from July 28-Aug. 4.
For more information, including live-streams of the games, click here.
