Maple Leafs advance to semifinals after historic no-hitter By R.S. Konjek It has been a memorable summer for Garrett Takamatsu. Having completed his freshman year at Central Alabama Community College, the North York native signed up to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Intercounty Baseball League. A new face at Christie Pits, Takamatsu […]
SPORTS: Fans cheer hair and history (Aug./Sept. 2018)
September 11th, 2018 · 1 Comment
SPORTS: Slumping Leafs hope to change (Summer 2018)
August 12th, 2018 · Comments Off on SPORTS: Slumping Leafs hope to change (Summer 2018)
Lengthy losing streak dulls early season momentum By R.S. Konjek July was the cruellest month for Toronto baseball fans. Over at the dome, the major league Blue Jays drifted out of contention, waved the white flag and traded away all-star pitcher J.A. Happ. At Christie Pits, the Maple Leafs plunged into a protracted slump. After […]
SPORTS: Maple Leafs back at the Pits (Election Special 2018)
May 29th, 2018 · Comments Off on SPORTS: Maple Leafs back at the Pits (Election Special 2018)
The bats are back. The Maple Leafs are swinging once more in Dominico Field at Christie Pits, and marked the 100th anniversary of the Intercounty Baseball League with a home opening 10-6 win over the London Majors on May 6. The Leafs, which have won five games to two this season, play every Sunday and […]
CHATTER: Christie Pits rink renamed in honour of Sid Smith (March 2018)
March 22nd, 2018 · Comments Off on CHATTER: Christie Pits rink renamed in honour of Sid Smith (March 2018)
An artificial rink in Christie Pits Park has been renamed after Sid Smith, the eighth captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The name change happened after the city received an application for the change last year from a private citizen. The rink was officially renamed in a public skating event on January 14 with Mike […]
ON OUR COVER (FALL 2017): CYCLING THE PITS
October 12th, 2017 · Comments Off on ON OUR COVER (FALL 2017): CYCLING THE PITS
GLEANER NEWS FILE PHOTO BY R.S. KONJEK: The CXTO Cookie Cross returns to Christie Pits on October 28. Open to riders of all skill levels and bikes, the event will feature Try a Cross, Elite and Masters races, and Bateman’s Bicycle Company will give away a Norco Threshold Cycle Cross Bike. For further information, please […]
SPORTS (AUGUST 2017): Leafs fall early this summer
September 13th, 2017 · Comments Off on SPORTS (AUGUST 2017): Leafs fall early this summer
Eliminated from 2017 playoffs after stunning first round defeat By R.S. Konjek “Who are these guys anyway?” It is a question often heard on summer Sunday afternoons at Christie Pits. Those nine men on the field, the ones in the blue uniforms emblazoned with maple leaf logos, are they professional ballplayers? Amateurs? Part-timers? Compared to […]
SPORTS (JULY 2017): The Maple Leaf(s) Forever
August 1st, 2017 · Comments Off on SPORTS (JULY 2017): The Maple Leaf(s) Forever
A Toronto baseball institution for over a century By R.S. Konjek In some quarters of Toronto, this year’s Canada Day celebrations were a time of spirited debate. People argued whether a giant rubber ducky on the lakeshore was a whimsical tourism boon or an outrageous financial boondoggle. Some wondered what a rubber duck had to […]
SPORTS (JUNE 2017): Weather permitting
June 30th, 2017 · Comments Off on SPORTS (JUNE 2017): Weather permitting
Hometown Leafs battle foes and forecasts as season gets under way By R.S. Konjek It was a rainy May. The elements proved to be the Toronto Maple Leafs’ greatest adversary in the first month of the 2017 Intercounty Baseball League season. Three scheduled games at Christie Pits were rained out, as well as a road […]
Tags: General
SPORTS (MAY 2017): Leafs return with sights on a title
May 26th, 2017 · Comments Off on SPORTS (MAY 2017): Leafs return with sights on a title
Local nine look to take next step to winning championship By R.S. Konjek It’s a casual April evening at Christie Pits Park. A handful of locals play a pickup soccer game on one of the fields. An occasional runner pounds up the slopes near the baseball diamonds. Walkers amble past, many of them joined by […]
ON THE COVER (NOVEMBER 2016): Cycling in the city
November 18th, 2016 · Comments Off on ON THE COVER (NOVEMBER 2016): Cycling in the city
READ MORE: CHATTER: Bells ring a perfect offering (October 2016) NEWS: Bikes blessed for another season (June 2016) FOCUS: An early advocate for bike lanes (June 2016) NEWS: Second phase of park revitalization to begin (May 2016) NEWS: Christie Pits renewal set to begin (July 2015)
SPORTS (SEPTEMBER 2016): Late summer blues
September 15th, 2016 · Comments Off on SPORTS (SEPTEMBER 2016): Late summer blues
Leafs’ playoff run thrills the Pits By R.S. Konjek Stepability. Grindertude. These are not actual words, but they well describe the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball club, which took its fans on a rollicking romp through the 2016 Intercounty Baseball post-season. It was an unexpected trip. All summer long on the parched slopes of Christie Pits, […]
CHATTER (AUGUST 2016): Self-described former gang member shot at Christie Pits
August 26th, 2016 · Comments Off on CHATTER (AUGUST 2016): Self-described former gang member shot at Christie Pits
The Toronto Police Service is requesting assistance with a shooting investigation in the Bloor Street West and Christie Street area. On July 30 at approximately 9:00 a.m., a man shot two people during a fitness class in Christie Pits. One victim, who was nearby when the shooting occurred, was hit in the foot by a […]