Baseball man Dominic Dinelle had long cherished the dream of owning his own professional baseball team. After a roller coaster ride with the Devils and the Royal in Saint-Jérôme, he is now at the helm of the Barnstormers in Chatham-Kent, Ontario.
The ex-Colombanois now domiciled in Sainte-Sophie today occupies the position of president of this team of the Inter-county League (IBL), an independent circuit.
“It’s certain that it will be different to manage business in an office, instead of players on the field. We will try to have a season without monetary loss, the goal being to reap profits in the third year. I still kept a little treat for myself, which was to lead the morning practices with the boys, especially the indoor players. You never take a coach completely off the field,” he laughed.
Several approaches
After surveying the terrain in the Maritimes and Estrie, and having been in contact with independent American leagues, Dinelle was finally awarded an expansion franchise in Ontario.
“In 2006, I held a position as coach of the London Majors, in the LBL. I told myself from then on that I wanted to have my club in this league. The atmosphere brought me closest to what I want to lead. I tried to buy the Brantford club, as famous as the Yankees in independent baseball, but they were asking for nothing less than $100,000. Phew! One thing led to another and I had talks with Welland, Niagara and Sainte-Catherines. I had put my project on the shelf, when the League Commissioner and I came into contact again, around 2019. It took a few more years to tie up all the threads with the circuit and the city, but there, it’s official. We start on May 17 on the road, then on May 18 against the Kitchener Panthers, for our official opening in Chatham. »
A new stadium
The Ferguson Jenkins Stadium has been given a makeover for the arrival of the new club.
“The stadium had a capacity of 300 seats. We added 600 seats, in addition to a portable fence. 3,000 people are expected for the official opening. A giant 40-foot screen will even be installed outside the stadium for those who cannot enter, given the maximum safe capacity of spectators to be respected. »
Collaboration
Dinelle had help from 80s Expos alumni Bill Atkinson and Dan Norman to bring his new ball project to fruition.
“It’s also the realization of a dream of being surrounded by real professionals. The Chatham local government and minor league baseball have been very helpful in getting us established here. Aside from my French accent, which they find very comical, we managed to get along very well. The renovations and support from the City are very appreciated. »
The season is approaching
The former employee of Baseball Quebec estimates that his team will become competitive from the middle of the 2024 season.
“We will have to get used to the excellent caliber, which resembles that of the Ligue Frontière (Capitales de Québec and Aigles de Trois-Rivières). We will benefit from players who have extensive experience on the independent circuit, while others will be new to the game. The idea is to reduce the gap between the various levels of players. Only 8% of students come from American colleges. We will bet on Dominican pitcher Henry Henry on the mound. We’re talking about a 26-year-old giant, 6 feet and 6 inches tall. His fastballs move a lot. His agent contacted us and we immediately showed interest,” specified the owner of a mini-farm in Sainte-Sophie.
After making stops at Cap-de-la-Madeleine and throughout Eastern Canada, Dom Dinelle’s caravan settled this time in southwestern Ontario.
“We rented a house, where manager Dan Norman and a player will be staying. I sleep as usual in my trailer, in the parking lot. The family will follow in June. We discover the surroundings. With all the experienced staff, we will aim for the series. 8 of the 9 clubs qualify. We adjust to challenges every day,” concluded Dinelle.
Note that Jérômien Ronald Lécuyer acts as marketing manager for the Barnstormers team.
2024-05-07 14:04:45
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