TORONTO – The North Toronto Baseball Association turned the cancellation of its house-league season into an opportunity to do some good, raising $41,250 for the City of Toronto’s COVID-19 relief fund.
Among the biggest baseball associations in the country, North Toronto had 1,085 players registered for this summer but called off the campaign on April 8 due to the pandemic.
In its refunding process, league officials gave parents the choice of donating the $330 fee to the city’s relief efforts rather than rolling over the money to next summer, or taking a refund.
A total of 125 families reallocated their fees to the city, leading to the sizable donation.
“North Toronto Baseball Association is a community baseball organization with over 300 volunteers every year — we wanted to provide an opportunity to further facilitate that generous spirit,” association president Jim Lisser said via email. “This donation by participating families is evidence that it continues to be strong. From the mayor to city councillors to the city’s front-line employees and healthcare workers, NTBA is very grateful and we cannot thank everyone enough for their leadership and support through the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Unlike winter sports interrupted in progress by the coronavirus, youth baseball leagues at all levels were on the verge of starting up when provincial shutdown regulations were put in place.
Baseball officials have been working on ways to safely get kids back on the diamond, but at this point restrictions on diamond permits remain in place.
On Monday, the North York Baseball Association in Toronto announced the cancellation of its 2020 house-league season due to the pandemic.