CBL Odyssey: Hamilton

Bernie Arbour Memorial Stadium, Hamilton

In 2026, the Intercounty Baseball League set off on a whole new journey.

It shed its name and sailed into new waters as the Canadian Baseball League.  Bigger, better, bolder.

This is also the summer of The Odyssey, a film that is already being hailed as the blockbuster of the year.  It's the legendary tale of one man's journey through practically every nook and cranny of the Mediterranean before finally getting home.

With all this in mind, I'm making 2026 the summer of the CBL Odyssey.  I'm revisiting the league's ballparks with a fresh set of eyes.  Next stop, the Steel City.

BERNIE ARBOUR MEMORIAL STADIUM

GETTING THERE - from Toronto you drive the QEW and connect with the Red Hill Parkway, which takes you up the escarpment aka the mountain.  As they say in Hamilton, "You don't go up the Mountain, you ascend."*  The stadium is not far after you exit the Parkway, and it's nestled within a sports complex.  Transit options are more convoluted, requiring GO and HSR.  

* No one says that.

PARKING - there are a couple of parking areas adjacent to the stadium grounds, but they are tight.  Get there early if you want to park there.  Once it fills up, the hunt is on for a spot on one of the nearby residential streets.

BALLPARK VIBES - it's Bernie's place, home of the Hamilton Cardinals.  Once inside, you enter a baseball bubble.  Most views beyond the diamond are of other sports fields or general greenery, so there are few outside distractions.  The grandstand seating is elevated, as are the bleachers along both baselines, which creates a physical separation between fans and field.  There are narrow strips of grass between the bleachers and baseline fences if people want to stand close to the field.  The views are great and attendance has been climbing in recent years so the place is bustling with energy.  There is plenty of merch available.  

IN-GAME ENTERTAINMENT - Emily Thompson is the Cardinals' in-game host and she is energy personified.  Between each inning she revs up the home fans with her infectious personality.  The game I attended was "Murder Mystery Night" and Thompson conducted an inning-by-inning investigation with fans.  There's also music and contests.

FREEDOM TO ROAM AND TAKE PHOTOS - everyone can roam the park from one end to the other, but the elevated seating does make you feel cut off from the players.  The stadium requires some exploration to find interesting photo angles.  Some previously good spots are now taken by Cable 14 TV cameras.  Best bets are the narrow areas fieldside.

BALLPARK CUISINE - a complicated subject.  This stadium used to have a partnership with Hutch's, home of the best french fries in Hamilton/the world.  The partnership ended and Denninger's European grocery stores, which is just as much a Hamilton institution, now provides the ballpark food.  I tried a sausage with fries.  It was... okay.  The sausage was rubbery and the basic hot dog bun broke apart immediately.  The fries were better, thick and crispy.  But once you've had the best fries in town, everything will feel a step below.  A return of Hutch's fries to Bernie Arbour would be Hamilton winning the ballpark food championship.

BALLPARK BEER - there was no team-branded beer available so I tried a Barrel Shed Pale Ale from Shawn & Ed Brewing Co., based in nearby Dundas.  Good stuff.

TEAM MASCOT - in previous years a large Cardinal mascot has been at the park, but on the night I attended the big bird was not around.

DO KIDS RUN THE BASES? - Yes they do!

OVERHEARD - 

"The fries are good."

"The fries are pretty good."

[if they only knew what they could have had]

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS - everything at Bernie Arbour is directed towards the diamond, so it's a nice place to enjoy baseball without distractions for a few hours.  It's not a park that puts on airs because Hamilton is not a place that needs to put on airs.  Emily Thompson provides nine innings of bonus entertainment.  A neat feature is a TV hung on the wall near the concessions area, so fans don't have to miss a pitch.  I wasn't going to go on about how the food could be better but here we are.

WOULD I WANT THIS TO BE MY TEAM'S HOME BALLPARK? - as a Hamilton native I've been going to baseball games at Bernie Arbour since I was a teenager.  There are years of memories and nostalgia for me here.  It always feels like coming home.  The seating layout is not the best, but at least you can move around and watch from many different vantage points.  If I ever get banned from Christie Pits maybe the Cardinals would welcome a dedicated gonzo blogger? 

The CBL Odyssey will continue in Barrie...

Pent Up Energy Release

Maple Leafs Weekly Recap - July 13 to 19, 2026

Week 10 saw the scripts flipped in more ways than one.

Crix Taveras hit two very different round trips this weekend. 

CBL state media must have ripped up its power rankings and drafted a hasty rewrite.

This weekend, the Toronto Maple Leafs seized everyone's attention like noisy neighbours back from holiday.  They opened the second half of the season with two road wins against top-5 clubs.  In two games they amassed 27 hits and 19 runs.

It was an unusual week not because of that. 

The Leafs had four games on the schedule.  Two of them were postponed and another shifted to Sunday.  Poor air quality resulting from forest fires in northern Ontario wiped out a big chunk of the CBL schedule.  

The Leafs' Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night games were all postponed, wreaking havoc on players' routines.

As the days went by, the team did not hold any practices.  I asked some players how they filled the time.  Each quote below is from a different player.

"Did my own personal work outs waiting for the next game to happen."

"I just did individual work at a local cage."

"I just kind of took it easy for those few days. I still got my workouts in, went to the batting cages to get some swings, and stayed active on my own. I saw a few of the guys at the facility while I was working out, so it was nice to catch up with them too. Other than that, I mostly just chilled indoors and stayed ready for whenever we got back to playing."

"The games were banged very last minute so we were prepping for them all as if we were going to play. We all did what we needed to do to feel ready. Some of us probably used the time to chill and rejuvenate, some of us hit some workouts. Everybody’s different. I feel all of us were very excited to finally play again and released all that pent up energy."

By Saturday, the skies cleared enough for normal play to resume.  The Leafs traveled to Guelph and Barrie and the pent up energy was released!

And now, here is the recap of Week 10 in Maple Leafs baseball.

Wednesday, July 15, 2026 - Brantford Red Sox vs Toronto Maple Leafs (rescheduled rainout) 

Postponed due to poor air quality.

Thursday, July 16, 2026 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Barrie Baycats

Postponed due to poor air quality.  Rescheduled to Sunday, July 19.

Friday, July 17, 2026 - Kitchener Panthers vs Toronto Maple Leafs

Postponed due to poor air quality.

Saturday, July 18, 2026 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Guelph Royals

Crix Taveras belts a ninth-inning home run. (image: Guelph Royals YouTube)

Fresh off his win at the 2026 CBL All-Star Game, Toronto Maple Leafs pitcher Nick Veselinovic continued his winning ways.

The giant southpaw pitched five innings at Hastings Stadium and the bullpen did the rest.  

At the plate, his teammates outhit the Guelph Royals and took advantage of some sloppy fielding to earn a 7-4 victory.

The Leafs got off to a romping start.  Shortstop Brando Leroux hit a leadoff single off starter Edgar Garcia.  Right fielder Yasiel Puig followed him and smacked his first triple of the year.  Leroux scored and the visitors went ahead 1-0.

In the bottom of the first inning, Veselinovic walked leadoff man Franklin Torres.  He advanced around the bases on a ground out, passed ball and sac fly to tie the game.

The top of the second opened with a walk to third baseman Spenser Ross.  A passed ball allowed him to take second.  Catcher Matt Brandt hit a grounder to third that was thrown out of play.  Brandt was awarded second base and Ross trotted home.  With one out, second baseman Crix Taveras enjoyed an adventure on the basepaths.  He hit a shot through the infield that was picked up by the centerfielder and thrown in to Garcia.  Taveras rounded for second and Garcia fired the ball there.  The ball went all the way back to centerfield.  Brandt scored easily and Taveras followed him in with a little league home run (officially a double in the boxscore).  After the game, Guelph manager Dino Roumel described the inning as "disastrous."  The Leafs were ahead 4-1 and they never relinquished the lead.

A sac fly brought in another run for the Royals to make it 4-2 through two innings.

Bottom three, Garrett Takamatsu singled and scored on a triple by Victor Mascai.  4-3 Leafs through three.

In the top of the fifth, the Leroux-Puig one-two-punch landed on Garcia again.  Leroux singled and Puig launched a bomb over the fence in left to make it 6-3.

Bottom of the inning, Mascai hit a solo homer off Veselinovic to make it 6-4.

Acting manager Brian Sewell turned the rest of the game over to the Mapes bullpen.  Reinaldo de Paula and Luis Florentino combined to pitch four innings.  Three hits, three walks, seven strikeouts.  Most importantly, zero runs.

Taveras continued his adventurous evening by hitting a ninth inning home run off reliever Marek Deska.  He followed his second inning little leager with a no-doubt big fly over the right field wall.  It was Taveras's first multi-homer game since college.

"I honestly was just trying to get on base, get a rally going," Taveras said after the game.  "Give us some insurance late in the game just to give my boy Flo some cushion in the ninth to close it."

The 25-year-old California native is playing his first season with the Leafs.

"I’ve always wanted to come to Canada," he said.  "Always heard good things but never had the chance so I’m thankful for this opportunity."

The insurance run turned out to be surplus.  Florentino snuffed out a flickering Royals rally with a three-swings-and-misses strikeout to seal the 7-4 FINAL.  Veselinovic got his third win of the season, Garcia his second loss, and Florentino notched save number three.

Toronto 7 10 0

Guelph 4 7 2

W - Veselinovic (3-2, 4.54)

L - Garcia (3-2, 6.68)

S - Florentino (3)

BOXSCORE

Sunday, July 19, 2026 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Barrie Baycats (game rescheduled from Thursday)

J.J. Dutton smacks a double during the Leafs' hit barrage.

The Toronto Maple Leafs rolled into Athletic Kulture Stadium and put the ball in play, over and over again.  Real assembly line stuff.

They racked up 16 singles and a double en route to a 12-8 win over the Barrie Baycats.

The game opened with singles by the Leafs' first three batters, shortstop Brando Leroux, right fielder Yasiel Puig and centerfielder J.J. Dutton.  Dutton's stroke drove in a run.  Barrie's starting pitcher Saul Vasquez struggled for control, plunking two batters to bring in another run.

The Leafs held a 2-0 advantage until the fourth inning, when they blew the game wide open.  Two walks and a throwing error loaded the bases, then the Leafs started cranking out the hits.  Leroux, Puig and first baseman Mike Cecchetto each produced an RBI single.  Left fielder Dennis Dei Baning singled to score two runs.  Third baseman Spenser Ross reached on an error that scored one more run.  Through four innings, the Leafs enjoyed an 8-0 lead.

On the mound for Toronto, Wilgenis Alvarado had a great day.  He pitched into the fifth and gave up one run on five hits, three walks and five strikeouts.  He was one agonizing out away from being in position to earn the win, but manager Rob Butler made the call to the bullpen before the fifth inning ended.

The Mapes added two runs in the top of the sixth thanks to a Cecchetto sac fly and an RBI single by catcher Matt Brandt.

In the top of the seventh, pinch hitter Ben Sitarenios hit into a fielder's choice that scored a run, and Dutton ripped an RBI double, the team's only extra-base hit of the afternoon.  Midway through the seventh, the Leafs led 12-1 and the park began emptying out.

In the bottom of the eighth, Dei Baning made the catch of the game.  With two out, Barrie slugger Ryan Rijo sliced a high shot towards the corner in left.  Dei Baning went full extension Superman to make the grab and end the inning.

Fans who stuck around watched the Baycats battle back for seven runs over the last three innings.  Relievers Frankie Gulko, Kyle Poapst, Graham Sim and Alex Lanigan combined to record the requisite number of outs before Barrie could score any more.

FINAL score was 12-8.  Gulko, from Long Island, New York, scooped up his first win as a Leaf and Vasquez took the El.

Dutton, Dei Baning, Cecchetto and Ross each drove in two runs.  Dutton's four hits included a double.  Leroux and Puig each recorded three hits and one RBI.

Toronto 12 17 3

Barrie 8 11 2

W - Gulko (1-2, 7.06)

L - Vasquez (3-1, 5.40)

BOXSCORE

The second half opens with the 8-17 Leafs in 8th place in the CBL standings.  They are 8.5 games behind the Barrie Baycats and 6.5 games away from a postseason slot.

The week ahead:

Wednesday, July 22 - Guelph Royals vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits

Thursday, July 23 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Kitchener Panthers, 7:05 pm at Jack Couch Park

Friday, July 24 - Welland Jackfish vs Toronto Maple Leafs, 7:30 pm at Christie Pits

Sunday, July 26 - Toronto Maple Leafs at Chatham-Kent Barnstormers, 1:05 pm at Fergie Jenkins Field

CBL Odyssey: Toronto

Dominico Field at Christie Pits, Toronto

In 2026, the Intercounty Baseball League set off on a whole new journey.

It shed its name and sailed into new waters as the Canadian Baseball League.  Bigger, better, bolder.

Early feedback from fans and players has been positive.  Rosters have improved and teams have gotten tougher to play.  Clubs continue to build up their game-day experiences and add more fun.  

This is also the summer of The Odyssey, a film that is already being hailed as the blockbuster of the year.  It's the legendary tale of one man's journey through practically every nook and cranny of the Mediterranean before finally getting home.

With all this in mind, I'm making 2026 the summer of the CBL Odyssey.  I'm revisiting the league's ballparks with a fresh set of eyes, starting at home.

All this time, while producing this blog I never actually sat "on the Christie hillside" to watch a game.  So I did so.  I brought a blanket to a Sunday afternoon game, flopped down under the big tree on the north slope and took in the experience from there.  

DOMINICO FIELD AT CHRISTIE PITS

GETTING THERE - it's the centre of the universe, our own Ithaca.  Most of the time, I will take a long walk from downtown to get there.  If pressed for time, I ride the subway to Christie Station.  Driving there is probably hell.

PARKING - there is no parking lot.  I don't even know where the players park.  Some pavement beside the clubhouse is set aside for visiting team vehicles.  There is some parking at street level.  Beyond that, there are neighbouring streets but have a gander at the posted signs so you don't get ticketed.

BALLPARK VIBES - it's literally a park, open to all.  No grandstand or seating other than a few rows of benches surrounding the infield.  Fans gather around the diamond while others pass through.  Beyond the outfield is a busy skatepark; beyond that is a picnic area and kids' playground.  Plenty of noise and atmosphere.  During the Dominico heydays, someone described the place as The Angry Confines.  Fans can be boisterous, egged on by the heckling of the Bushmen, the league's most notorious fan group. 

IN-GAME ENTERTAINMENT - Michael Roudbari is the Leafs' in-game host and a constant presence between innings.  There's a hot dog vs pretzel race, there's a Mr. Freeze race.  There are contests and giveaways.  Some nights lucky fans get free glow sticks.  Music BLARES.  Like, a lot.

FREEDOM TO ROAM AND TAKE PHOTOS - it's wide open.  You can get right beside the players' benches or go to the furthest corner of the hillsides.  Go wherever you please.  If you want to partake of the reserved area behind third base, that's twenty bucks (with free food and drink provided).

BALLPARK CUISINE - available at a snack bar behind centerfield and at a small concessions tent near the third base line.  The offerings are standard stuff, but just steps away is Bloor Street with an entire United Nations of food available.  You can bring anything (legal) into the park.  Recently I tried a walking taco from the snack bar.  Basically it's a small bag of Doritos sliced open with nacho toppings dumped onto the chips.  A perfect snack if you don't want to be too full during the game.

BALLPARK BEER - Leafs Lager, provided by Left Field Brewery.  Goes down nicely.  The beer tent and snack bar have other beers and drinks available.

TEAM MASCOT - Christie the Dog.

DO KIDS RUN THE BASES? - Yes they do!

OVERHEARD - 

"What would you rather have, ketchup chips, or--"

"A longer life."

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS - hard to knock the place that has been my summer home for over a decade.  I love Christie Pits.  I have made friends here and I have been free to conduct my freelancing shenanigans without incurring the ire of ownership.  The park atmosphere puts everyone in a good mood.  Kids and dogs run around, people sprawl on the hillsides, everyone is chill.  

The absolute number one feature of Christie Pits is that the Leafs charge no admission.  No other pro sports team in the city lets everyone in for free.  It's a quirk that comes from playing in a public park, but with the cost of everything always rising, it's wonderful to have this in Toronto.  Free baseball for free!

WOULD I WANT THIS TO BE MY TEAM'S HOME BALLPARK? - this question is more for the other parks I'll be visiting.  As for Christie Pits, there are certainly some amenities that could be improved.  The restrooms for example.  The nonexistent parking.  If there was more to complain about I'd certainly let the club know.

The CBL Odyssey will continue in Hamilton...