Welcome to our website! You are visiting the home
of the Niagara Metros of the Central Ontario Major Baseball League. Since 1985, we've been the home for
Elite Senior baseball in the Niagara region.
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Special thanks to Accurate Litho and Print for supplying our "Front Page Design".
The St. Catharines Metros had their long-awaited
2008 kickoff meeting last Wednesday evening and, as expected, there were a number of interesting changes and updates
announced. The meeting was a spirited, positive one, with no less than 14 players in attendance. Here are
some of the highlights:
1. The Metros are beginning their
"indoor training" season this week. The team will be meeting in the Thorold High School gym at 6:30, on Tuesday
February 24. All current and prospective Metros are urged to attend. The team will be breaking out their indoor
pitching mound for the workouts and hope to make good use of it, as well as some of the new drills that Captain
Joe Roach has prepared. The indoors will continue til mid-April and will be every Tuesday night (except the week of
March break). See you there!
2. There were a number of player
personel changes announced at the meeting...some additions and unfortunately some people who are leaving us. We'll get
around to introducing the new players, and honouring the departing players over the next month, or so.
3. As mentioned a few weeks ago,
the "Hap" Walters Tourney is back in 2009, and already there's been a "buzz" in the air. Tournament convener, Mark Walters,
reported that he has received applications from no less than 9 teams for entry into the tourney...just 3 weeks after
the announcement of the tournament dates.
4. As always, the Metros are looking
for help with the rising costs associated with the running of an elite baseball program. The players and coaches
have been assigned the task of "rounding up" some financial support for the Metros. We realize that in these chaotic
economic times, you might want to shy away from a comittment like this, but believe us when we say, "we can make it worth
your while". If you run a local business and are interested in becoming a member of the Metros' "group of dedicated
sponsors", please talk to us. You can reach us through the "Contact Us" link on the left side of this web page,
or through any member of the Metros ball club. We need your support.
5. The St. Catharines Metros are
sorry to announce that 8-year coach, Carey Spiece has decided to retire as an active member of the Coaching staff. Carey
has done a great job, over the years, and his presence at 3rd base, and in the dugout and the clubhouse will be sorely missed.
He has, however said that he will be back to help out at the "Hap" in July, and hopefully we'll see him on the odd
Thursday night during the season. Best of luck, Carey, with whatever you choose to do next.
6. We continue this
week with a new story for our anniversary review of the "History of the Metros"
in words and pictures. This week, as we make our way from the beginning to our current team, we look at the first
year that the Metros tried their hand at the Senior "A" division, and a year that the Metros absolutely dominated
the C.O.B.A. Senior Baseball League...1987. Just click on the 25th Anniversary link (at the left of the page) and then
the newly added "1987" link, in blue.
After a long, long fall and winter, it's
time to get the 2009 season officially started...and we always do that with our annual winter kickoff meeting. The first
event on the St. catharines Metros calendar for this season will be Wednesday, February 18 at the Thorold Legion, beginning
at 7:30.
The Branch 17 Legion, for those who don't
remember, was the location of our 2008 year-end players get-together, and is on Ormond Street in Thorold.
A few of the topics for discussion at
the meeting are...
1. "The State of the Metros"
2. Fundraising and Registration
3. Changes to the Team
4. Changes to the League
5. Prospective Schedule and Tournaments
6. The "Hap Walters Tourney"
...as well as any topics that arise out
of the discussions.
We invite all current and prospective
Metros to attend the meeting...and bring your ideas and thoughts. This is an interactive process, and as you know, most
of the decisions we make as a team come from you. You must attend in order to be heard.
Once again, that's Wednesday, February
18...7:30 at the Thorold Legion, on Ormond Street. We just can't wait to get started. See you there!
OH, BY THE WAY...
Did you check out the new items here at metrosbaseball.ca?
We have added a new story to our anniversary
review of the "History of the Metros" in words and pictures. This week, as we make our way from the beginning to
our current team (one year at a time), we look at a year that solidified the Metros team as a force in C.O.B.A., with a second
consecutive Playoff title...1986. Just click on the 25th Anniversary link (at the left of the page) and then the newly
added "1986" link, in blue.
We have also added a new baseball film feature,
for your perusal over the next couple of weeks. In honour of our new season beginning,
we thought it appropriate to play the National Anthems...like they did at the Rogers Center on Opening Day of 2005.
If it's good enough for the Blue Jays, it's good enough for us. So scroll to the bottom of the page and enjoy the American
and Canadian National Anthems, as performed by one of the greatest guitarists in rock history...former Gunner, and Velvet
Revolver icon..."Slash".
The St. Catharines Metros are pleased
to announce that they have added a new member to their extended family!! The proud first-time parents are Rocco and
Melissa Spano, whose life changed forever last Thursday morning.
At 7:36 AM, on February 6th, Hailey Brooke
Spano was born in St. Catharines...weighing in at a healthy 7lbs, 10 oz. We have added a picture of Rocco and his new
bundle of joy on our "Photo Album" page. Both mom and baby are doing great, and in fact, Rocco was quick to report that
Hailey did not enter this world with a pulled quad, dispelling many previously held beliefs.
Seriously guys, congratulations on your
new addition. We couldn't be happier for you both. Hailey will change your lives, but believe us when we
say that "It's all good"!
25th ANNIVERSARY LOOK BACK BEGINS
As we mentioned last week, we are beginning
our look back at 25 years of "Metromania" this week. Each week (for the next 25 weeks) we will take a look at the St.
Catharines Metros' history, in words and pictures. We have collected a number of great stories and photos (which
we have digitally enhanced) over the course of time, and will be featuring a different year, each week.
We begin our nostalgic ride through time
where it all began...in 1985. Just click the "25th Anniversary" link, to the left of the page, and follow the links
to a different era. Hope you enjoy!
Normally, we'd be talking about the
new season as the calendar changes, at the beginning of January. But we are the St. Catharines Metros...and we're anything
but normal. So, we're unveiling our 2009 website at the beginning of February. Hopefully, it will have been worth
the wait, because we have lots of cool stuff in store for you in this...our 25th Anniversary season.
As the above banner says (right next to the fireworks), in 2009 we're celebrating 25 great years of "Metromania".
Take a look around our new-look website...new
background pictures on every page, and new bottom banner on every page. Your webmaster, Mark Walters, even tried his
hand at something artistic, and put together the 2009 website montage, which will be featured at the top of this page all
season long. We think it looks pretty good!
OUT WITH THE OLD
As you scan the various pages
of the site, you'll notice that much of the 2008 content has been removed. That, of course, is to make room for the
2009 content which will be added gradually over the next couple of months. And, while the 2008 information is gone from
this site, many of the pictures, stories, and statistics are still available for viewing on our Archive website. Click
on the link just below our montage above, to access this content.
IN WITH THE NEW
So, what else is new right now?
First off...we have a new Baseball Film
Feature (a very popular corner of our website, that will be continued throughout '09). This week's feature is a follow-up
to last week's Brett Myers-Kyle Kendrick practical joke...but produced in Hollywood. It's the Batting Practice scene
from 1993's Mr. Baseball, starring Tom Selleck.
We have also completed the first
stages of preparations, regarding the 2009 Hap Walters memorial Baseball Tournament. All of the preliminary information
can be accessed by clicking on the "Hap Walters Tourney" link, to the left of this page. There has already been a lot
of interest surrounding this great tournament...and the 6th annual event should be the best one yet! We're very excited
to be presenting it, once again...in this our 25th Anniversary season.
25th ANNIVERSARY PLANS
As mentioned earlier, (you'll probably
read a lot about it all season long), it's our 25th anniversary in 2009. In 1985, the former St. Catharines "Ellis"
Seniors got a new sponsor, a new coach, joined a new league, and even got a new name...and thus, the Metros were born.
To help commemorate this milestone, the Metros have a number of events planned for this season. And many of the events will be featured right here at metrosbaseball.ca.
Each week, we'll be taking a look back
at the 25 years of "Metromania", in words and pictures. One year at a time! There will be as much detail
about each of these seasons as our records and memories can summon...and we begin our look back next week, starting with our
inaugural season of 1985.
This 25-year weekly review will take
us into the month of July...when we will unveil another exciting event in the world of the Metros. We will be selecting
a 25th Anniversary All-time team! Over the years, we have had 182 players don the Metros uniform... But who were
the best at each position? It'll be a tough question to answer, but we will do just that. The team will be unveiled
later in the season, and hopefully we'll be able to track down all the players that make the team, and introduce them,
prior to a home game in late July or early August.
So,
as you can see, we have some big plans for this season. We just ask that you make metrosbaseball.ca one of your regular
internet stops each week...you won't be disappointed!
Check out ourShowcase Filmfor the period of August 23 to September 7.
Just scroll
to the bottom of this page and press "Play".
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Click to visit the "St. Catharines Standard" Website.
Thank You:
To the St. Catharines Standard
for allowing us to use pictures and articles throughout this website.
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Niagara Metros website reaches 100,000 hits on April 18, 2010.
hits since December, 2004
Thanks for visiting
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Thank You to our corporate sponsor - HunMar and Associates. We appreciate your support!
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Niagara Metros Bi-Weekly "Baseball Film
Feature"
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This week on
our "Baseball Film Feature", we are taking you back to February of 2008...and looking at the testimony that
got Roger Clemens in so much trouble. If you missed it, on August 19th a U.S. federal grand jury indicted Roger
Clemens on charges of making false statements to Congress about his use of performance-enhancing drugs.
The 19-page indictment charges Clemens with three counts of
making false statements and two counts of perjury in connection with his February 2008 testimony before the House Committee
on Oversight and Government Reform. According to the United States attorney's office, Clemens faces a maximum sentence of
30 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine, but under the current sentencing guidelines, a conviction would likely bring 15-21
months.
So what was it that he said that got the U.S. Congress so steamed? We have it for you right here.
Just press play, and judge for yourself...was Roger lying??
Don't forget to check out the
Metros Archive Section!
You will see the history of
our team, as well as the past glories of St. Catharines Senior Baseball in words and pictures dating back to the 1940's.
Just click on the link near the top of this Main Home Page.
