Baseball is suddenly back in PEC. The Prince Edward County Minor Baseball Association reports over 120 new kids have signed on this summer to play at Wellington’s own Field of Dreams.

28 teams are now playing games in the regional Quinte Baseball League. Between Monday and Thursday every week, all three diamonds are in use.

From the Timbit Blast Ball initiation program, to a new T-Ball league, and scores of teams from U9 to U19, baseball is back.

President Kane Rutgers agrees the Blue Jays sparked the renaissance. Its new popularity means PECMBA has re-established a full executive, mobilized its volunteer base, and found new sponsors to ensure Lynx players are properly kitted out.

“There was a lot of excitement around the Jays last year and that’s led to an uptick in Blast Ball,” Mr. Rutgers said. “There’s also been enough new sign-ups for a T-ball house league that helps players transition between Blast Ball and coach-pitch.”

Blast Ball is a skills-based, small-area games-development program that focuses on fun first and baseball second. 

The County’s Mr. and Ms. Baseball came out to the ballpark prior to the U13 game between the County Dairy Producers and Bay Breeze Farms last month.

Of course, John and Jane Allison are never far from the Field of Dreams, where they still groom and line the diamonds each evening.

The duo are due to be inducted into the County Sports Hall of Fame later this fall. And rightfully so, says Mr. Rutgers.

“When I started playing Lynx ball in 2005, people like John and Jane and Matt Ronan lived and breathed baseball and really set an incredible standard when it came to organizing PECMBA. 

“We are excited with the massive influx of players and the growth we’ve experienced.”