Calgary Journal Online Print Issue

The Calgary Vipers secured one of the top two spots in the North American Baseball League playoffs with their 11-7 win against the Chico Outlaws on August 17.
On Serve and Protect Day (Aug. 20), after a celebrity softball game between the cast and crew of CBC’s “Heartland” and AMC’s “Hell on Wheels” to raise money for the Slave Lake relief effort, the Calgary Vipers beat out the Yuma Scorpions 10-1.

Confessions of a fantasy sports addict

I am addicted to playing make-believe.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t dress up in costumes and pretend that I can fly or organize tea parties for teddy bears, but I do spend a fair amount of each day living in a fantasy world — the fantasy sports world that is.

The month of July saw the Stampeders get off to a mixed start to the 2011 season. The Stamps narrowly lost out to the Tonronto Arognauts 23-21 in their season-opener on Canada Day.

The team rebounded in week 2 by edging their west coat rivals the B.C Lions 34-32 in Vancouver at Empire Field.

Calgary provides affordable experience for Canada’s age-grade rugby athletes

Rugby Canada’s National Championship Festival is returning to Calgary for a second consecutive year on August 15 to 21.

Jennifer Smart, event manager at Rugby Canada, says this year will be larger than the last.

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame resurrects at Canada Olympic Park

Here comes Bailey… and he’s got it! 9.84, a world record for Donovan Bailey and a gold medal.”

This sound bite of CBC sportscaster Don Wittman’s iconic call of the 100m dash at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta periodically blows from speakers at Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in Calgary.

Calgary Roughnecks purchased by the Calgary Flames organization

Brad Banister, the face behind pro lacrosse in Calgary for the past 10 years, came up to the podium at the Telus Conference Centre on June 14 and called the news the “worst kept secret in sports in Calgary.”

Amateur-specific rules ‘more of a setback than a push forward,’ says local coach

In Calgary, there are two sets of rules that govern mixed martial arts (MMA) competitions — one for amateurs, and one for pros. Ari Taub, CEO of Hard Knocks Fighting Championship said that the amateur rules are too constricting and proposed that a third set of rules be set up for amateur fighters with a little more experience.

Mount Royal University’s Cougars Athletics has joined the Canada West Universities Athletics Association.

The university will be a probationary member for the next three years, and won’t begin playing in Canada West until fall 2012. The Cougars will continue to play in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) for one more year.

After a season of disproving critics, winning games and coping with a potential team sale, the Calgary Roughnecks put their tenth season in the books.

“It was a tumultuous season. There were a lot of ups and downs both on the floor and off the floor,” said team captain Andrew McBride.

Calgary Roughnecks may be on the move after a great season

He was referring to a year in which the Roughnecks had the best record in the league at 11-5, had four players selected to play in the all-star game and were thought to be in a rebuilding mode after sending away key players Tracey Kelusky and Josh Sanderson before the season began. 


Baseball club hopes to succeed and provide quality fan experience

With the snow finally melted, revealing the familiar shale of the infield, the 2011 Calgary baseball season is on the horizon.

The Calgary Vipers — the city’s only professional baseball team — will play their first home game on May 26.