It's sort of akin to being all dressed up with no place to go. A week ago, young Jeff Renaud, who carried the title of director of media relations for the London Monarchs, was bubbling about the prospect of holding a Tribute to Labatt Park Aug. 29.
Working with pictures historian Stephen Harding of the Weldon Library and the Friends of Labatt Park group, the event would have been a gathering of old ball players and fans who have frequented the historic ball yard for the last seven decades.
Harding would have assembled a display of pictures citing the teams from the first days of the field, when it was known as Tecumseh Park in the 1800s, to present day.
There also would have been a memorabilia display, including trophies dating back to 1900. The surviving members of the 1948 National Baseball Congress North American champion London Majors -- Jack Fairs, Gil Robertson, Joe Bechard, Don Cooper and Joe Black -- would have been included.
Alas, the tribute has been left in limbo with the demise of the Monarchs, whose short life was snuffed out yesterday after Canadian Baseball League owners ran out of cash and decided last week to close the store.
Give field manager Willie Wilson and his players credit. They won their division. Give the Monarchs' off-field team credit, too, for a job well done.
Attach the tribute to a London Majors game, you say? Not enough lead time to organize it as the Majors are in the final weeks of their Intercounty schedule. Perhaps the tribute could be part of an exhibition game, an oldtimers contest or even a vintage match.
Right now, the bet is the tribute will be held as part of the city's Doors Open event, an annual tour of historic sites, in October. Sadly, the Monarchs won't be around to share in the festivities.
'48 revisited
Survivors of the 1948 London peewee baseball team that lost to the Mimico Mountaineers in the Ontario final will gather Aug. 11-12 for golf and dinner.
The team reunites every three years to recount a time when it was part of the highly successful sandlot program that operated at the various city playgrounds. Members of the 1948 London Majors will also be honoured.
A golf outing at the new River Bend course is set for Aug. 11, followed by a luncheon the next day at the Villa Cornelia on Kent Street. Marv Liley has details at 641-3319.
Lacrosse update
St. Catharines Spartan is unbeaten through two rounds of the OLA junior B playoffs, having knocked off Windsor AKO 3-0 in the first round and the Owen Sound Dutchies 3-0 in the quarter-finals.
Owen Sound needed five games to oust the Sarnia Pacers in the first round.
The remaining three best-of-five quarter-finals -- Elora vs. Six Nations, Barrie vs. Mimico Nepean vs. Akwesasne -- are tied 2-2 with fifth games being played over the weekend.
The Ontario winner travels to Coquitlam, B.C., Aug. 20-24 to play for the national title and the Founders Cup.
