By IAN WILSON
Jamie Campbell has taken his long-distance relationship with the Western Canadian Baseball League to the next level.
The host of Blue Jays Central on Sportsnet has long been an admirer of the WCBL, but after touring three of the league’s Alberta ballparks between July 9-11, Campbell has expressed even more affection for the summer collegiate circuit.
Campbell was able to carve out some vacation time from his busy schedule covering the Toronto Blue Jays for the three-day trip to Medicine Hat, Sylvan Lake and Okotoks.
Accompanied by his youngest son, Jack, the broadcaster spoke glowingly of his visits to WCBL diamonds.
“There’s something unmistakably majestic about local baseball, whatever level it might be, could be Little League, could be the WCBL,” Campbell told reporters from the bleachers of Athletic Park, home of the Medicine Hat Mavericks.
“But the backdrop alone (at Athletic Park) is spectacular. This is PNC Pittsburgh without the buildings and the Clemente bridge.”
The Mavs game – an 8-5 victory for the home team over the visiting Swift Current 57’s – marked Campbell’s first live experience viewing a WCBL matchup, but he had checked out Athletic Park in 2023. The stadium was closed then, so he parked along the right-field fence and scaled it to take a quick look inside.
“I remember when I was here last year, I saw people walking along that (berm) path and I thought about how they get to look down on the ballpark. I’d be here most nights if I actually lived here,” said Campbell.
“I’ve always known about the diamond here, the history here, the Mavericks and the evolution of them, I’ve always known about that,” he added.
“I take great enjoyment in my spare time out of going to local baseball games … there’s a genuine sort of homespun pleasure that’s indescribable. The only way to understand it is to show up every now and then.”
When asked to compare what he sees at the Major League Baseball (MLB) level with what takes place in the WCBL, Campbell offered praise for the collegiate players who come through Alberta and Saskatchewan.
“It’s the same game, right? Just played at a bit of a different level. There’s supreme talent in this league. It might not be major-league talent. In some cases it has been and will be, but there’s still high-level baseball players, right? These are young men who are exceptional at their craft, so it’s an appreciation of that. It’s just a different setting and a different uniform,” said the former sports anchor for CBC Edmonton.
Campbell also said his Alberta trip gave him the opportunity to combine a pair of interests he cares deeply about.
“It’s two things. It’s enjoying a relaxing baseball game and spending time with my son. I got a cancer diagnosis three years ago. Any chance I get just to chill and spend some time with the people I love, and to be at a baseball game at the same time, doesn’t matter who wins or loses here, doesn’t matter what the experience is like tomorrow or Thursday, it’s all time spent and that’s the best I can ask for at this point,” noted Campbell, who won the 50/50 draw and received loud applause from the Medicine Hat crowd.
SWINGING THROUGH SYLVAN LAKE
Following his time in the Gas City, Campbell made his way north to Sylvan Lake for a matchup between the Gulls and the Okotoks Dawgs, the top two teams in the WCBL standings.
The Oakville, Ontario native continued to be in awe of what he saw at Gulls Field, along with 1,500 other fans.
“What an environment here, my goodness,” Campbell told Joe Whitbread, host of the Beyond the Bases post-game show.
“I am looking around this majestic venue right now thinking to myself this is one of the best decisions I ever made.”
Added Campbell: “A league like this one has deep, deep roots and it’s always been part of my plan to come and see games here. After I heard about Sylvan Lake and the venue and the super-talented team, I’m just absolutely blown away by this experience.”
Campbell had to call in a favour just to get into the stadium because it was a sellout.
“I’m thrilled to see how many people have embraced the Gulls in this area. Now I’m learning from the president of the team, plans long term to increase the seating capacity substantially, which I think is great,” he told Red Deer Advocate reporter Ian Gustafson.
“Could it get any better than this? This is just spectacular. Someone told me in advance this is kind of like the field of dreams.”
Campbell ran into the parents of Innisfail’s Nathan Flewelling – a star catcher with the Gulls who could see his name called during the upcoming MLB Draft – at his hotel and had a good chat with them ahead of the game, which ended up being a 3-0 victory for the Dawgs.
He also learned that he shares a hometown with Sylvan Lake outfielder Elijah Hammill.
“It’s nice to see someone like Nathan who’s from this area have some success,” said Campbell.
“I just love that these kids really haven’t reached the surface of their real true talent. They’re still learning how to be excellent ball players and this is a great training ground for that.”
WELCOME TO THE DAWG HOUSE
After being treated to a low-scoring, pitcher-friendly affair at Gulls Field, Campbell ventured just south of Calgary to Seaman Stadium in Okotoks for a rematch between the West Division rivals.
Campbell was a part of the pre-game ceremonies and threw out the ceremonial first pitch, as he did in Medicine Hat a couple nights earlier.
He witnessed a much different contest this time around. The four-hour marathon went to extra innings and finished in a 14-12 victory for the Gulls after both teams slapped out a total of 35 hits.
Both Flewelling and Hammill went deep for Sylvan Lake in the win, which drew a crowd of 4,125 fans.
Campbell – who met Okotoks Dawgs interim manager Lou Pote and a number of players ahead of the game – described the outing as “another incredible experience” and the league as a gem.
During his travels, the veteran television personality was asked about giving the WCBL a platform on Sportsnet’s Blue Jays Central. Campbell did just that in May, right before the summer circuit’s opening week, by displaying ball caps of the Dawgs, Mavericks, Moose Jaw Miller Express and Saskatoon Berries. He and Joe Siddall also had a discussion about the WCBL during a pre-game broadcast for the Toronto Blue Jays.
“I’ve always watched from afar and tried to absorb as much of it as I can. I’m very invested in the history of the game in this country and that spans both coasts,” Campbell told Whitbread.
“I think it’s really important for people who watch the broadcast to understand that they don’t have to fly to Toronto to see good baseball and have a wonderful baseball experience.”
He also provided an update to Medicine Hat News reporter James Tubb about his leukemia, and indicated his medication had been working well, but added a new method of treatment will likely be needed.
“I’ll find another treatment and then just learn to live with whatever side effects that treatment is going to embark on me, as long as it means I get to stay above ground,” Campbell said.
“Truthfully the prognosis is for a long life, I’m just going to have to carry a treatment around for the rest of my time on this earth unless they find a cure, which I hope they do.”
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