News About Canadians

Canadian Baseball League Becomes National Championship Sponsor for 2002 Canadian Little League Championships

CBL continues mandate to support amateur baseball in Canada

June 12, 2002 – The Canadian Baseball League is proud to announce it has become the National Championship Sponsor for the 2002 Canadian Little League Baseball Championships. “We’re very pleased to be able to help support Canada’s premier Little League event” said CBL Commissioner of Baseball and Baseball Hall of Famer, Ferguson Jenkins. “As we prepare for the CBL launch in 2003 it is important we let baseball fans know who we are, and by getting involved with events like this we can begin to forge a positive relationship with them” continued Mr. Jenkins. Teams representing British Columbia, the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes will converge on the Dave Elton Baseball Complex in Lethbridge, Alberta, August 2 through 11, 2002. “We’re happy to have the Canadian Baseball League on board” said Marc Ouellette, member of the board of the 2002 Canadian Little League Championships. “Without the support of sponsors like the CBL, events like this cannot take place. We are thankful the CBL is committed to youth baseball in Canada. We’re looking forward to a great event this year” continued Mr. Ouellette.

The Canadian Little League Championships is traditionally one of the most popular amateur baseball events in the country. Thousands of baseball fans attend the nine-day annual event, with over 5,000 people in attendance for last year’s exciting Canadian championship final held at Little Mountain Little League in Vancouver, BC. “We believe our league has a duty to the foundation of the game in Canada” said CBL President and CEO, Tony Riviera. “By devoting resources to amateur baseball we are doing our part to ensure the future of the Canadian game remains strong” commented Mr. Riviera. The national championships determine Canada’s representation at the annual Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Calgary West Little League of Calgary, Alberta, captured the 2001 national championship. Although the Canadian Baseball League doesn’t begin play until May 2003, the league has already stepped up its efforts to connect with the Canadian baseball community. The CBL is title sponsor for the World Baseball Challenge, a 12-team, 8-country World Cup-type tournament held in Grand Forks, BC, in late August. The league also recently announced a ticket purchase and distribution program in Saskatoon that will send young ballplayers out to watch senior men’s and Western Major Baseball League games this summer.

For more information on the 2002 Canadian Little League Championships, visit the official website at
www.littleleague2002.com.

About the Canadian Baseball League

The Canadian Baseball League is a new international professional baseball league offering high caliber baseball to cities
across Canada beginning in May 2003. For more information please visit the official website of the Canadian Baseball
League at www.canadianbaseballleague.com.

Contact: Alex Klenman, CBL Director of Communications, 604-689-1566, AlexK@canadianbaseballleague.com.

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