Superstar Series: 

One of the main attractions for C’s fans last year was the Superstar series, which brought the San Diego Chicken, Fergie Jenkins, Bret Hart and Tim Raines out to ‘The Nat’.  This season the four-game roster has been completely revealed, and it features Bill Buckner, Cecil Fielder, Dave Henderson and Bill ‘Spaceman’ Lee (left).

Henderson was a teammate of Buckner’s on the infamous 1986 Boston Red Sox World Series team, and is famous to Pacific Northwest Baseball fans for his personality on Mariners broadcasts in recent years, being a tandem with Hall of Fame broadcaster Dave Niehaus for games in the Emerald City.

He hit one of the biggest Homeruns in Post-Season history, in the 86 ALCS which gave Boston a comeback win.  Henderson hit a two-out, two-strike two-run shot which was enough to give Boston the 9th inning win.  He could’ve been the goat of the series, like Buckner was later on that season, after tipping an Angels HR into the stands from the tip of his glove, but the dinger made fans quickly forget about that.

Dave played for 5 MLB clubs, including Seattle, Boston and Oakland.  He has 7 career HR’s in October baseball, and 197 in the Regular Season.  He will be at Nat Bailey on August 4th, against Yakima.

Lee was the final addition, and he is most-noted for his off-field antics more than his baseball game itself.  The Spaceman has been the feature of documentaries, books and much more.

His take on the ‘Eephus’ pitch was a Spaceball at final version, and is a high and slow pitch which doesn’t cross the plate at more than 50 mph.  Orlando Hernandez and Randy Johnson (right) are two of the more recent players to have the pitch.

The Spaceball has written a total of four books, has like I said starred in a documentary (which is great) and continues to make a name for himself in baseball history in his 60’s.  The ex-Expo will be on-hand to talk about such fame with Vancouver baseball fans on August 31st.

Single Game Tickets:

Single Game Tickets will go on sale tomorrow (May 23rd) at 9:00 AM, and will give you your first chance to purchase tickets to Opening Night, Superstar games, and Team Photo Giveaway night among others.

Remember, there are three easy ways to purchase tickets, whether it be through the C’s Box Office (4601 Ontario Street), online at Canadiansbaseball.com, or by phone, 604-872-5232.

The Box Office will be open from 9 to 5 tomorrow, before closing up on Sunday.  Next week you can buy tickets from the Box Office from 9:30 to 5:00 and 9:30 to 3:30 next Saturday.  Of course, you can buy online anytime.

Nat Notes is presenting the Top 5 games to attend this season, so get your tickets early before they all sellout.

1. Opening Night: There is no night like Opening Night, and on June 20th (Saturday) it’ll be your first chance to catch a glimpse at the 09 edition of the Vancouver Canadians.  While your at it, you get a phenomenal Fireworks show, and a Magnet Schedule, which is given out to the first 2,500 fans.  This game should very well sellout, so get your tickets tomorrow.

2. Canada Day (Nooner): Each Canada Day at The Nat is one to remember, and this one will be no different.  It is on a Wednesday afternoon, and what better way to spend your day off in the middle of the week than at Nat Bailey with fun in the sun.  A Workout Towel that is being given away is also an incentive for you to get out to the ballpark. 

3. Bobble Head Giveaway: The final A&W Family Fun Sunday, and last Regular Season game of the year, also hosts a Bobble Head Giveaway, the first since Tim Hudson a few years back.  Your last chance to see the C’s in their post-season push is Sunday September 6th.

4. Superstar Series Nights: Whether it be on July 27th (Cecil Fielder), August 4th (Dave Henderson), August 12th (Bill Buckner) or August 31st (Bill Lee), all four Superstar Nights are sure to be great ball on the field, and great times off.  Tim Raines and Fergie Jenkins all spent considerable time with fans, and expect much of the same this summer.

5. A&W Family Fun Sundays: Out of the 7 A&W Family Fun Sundays, each one has a different giveaway, for the kids.  June 21st has a Growth Chart, June 28th is a Jersey Giveaway Night, July 12th has a Trucker Hat Giveaway, July 26th presents a Die-cast Car, August 16th is much of the same, and August 30th is a-like.  As I mentioned, September 6th has the Bobblehead.

Other fun nights are Webkinz Giveaways, ALS Day, any Nooner, and The Nat Hot Dog Mania on July 3rd.

Bud Kerr:

The late Bud Kerr’s memorial service will take place on Monday the 25th at Nat Bailey Stadium from 1pm to 2pm.  It will be a semi-formal ceremony honouring a man that knew more about this team than anybody out there.  We had an anonymous reader send in a story about how we’ll remember Bud, and I encourage anyone with stories like this to pass them my way.  Roadkillsports@hotmail.com.

The quote function isn’t working properly, so it’s copy and pasted.  I thank said-reader for sending this in.

He had a very sharp mind for the game of baseball, not just rote-memorization of stats and players. Our last serious conversation was 3 months ago and it was about bunting. I thought it was asinine how players don’t know how to bunt, and don’t bunt more often, because it is not only an integral part of a balanced skill-set, but it could set up so many great opportunities the next time you face that team and pitcher. He would cite examples of times in the playoffs and big games where a bunt would have been perfect, because the 3B was playing back, the catcher had bad knees, etc…

We would get right into it about baseball, cutting right to the chase. Like so many other people, I just listened to what he had to say, like a student learning from a professor. By the end of our phone conversation, we would be yelling at each other, most often in agreement, about the same things we have noticed in the same game.

I will certainly miss his knowledge, and I know his buddies that sit with him during games will also. There aren’t many people you can turn to and have a solid conversation about the intricacies of the game, and now there are even fewer….