Gleaner

Serving Toronto's most liveable community with the Annex Gleaner

SPORTS: From Tokyo to Toronto: Sato’s season of surprises (Aug. 2025)

September 29th, 2025 · Comments Off on SPORTS: From Tokyo to Toronto: Sato’s season of surprises (Aug. 2025)

Last winter, the Leafs made international headlines when they signed Sato who helped her native country win five women’s world baseball championships. This spring she became not only the first woman to play for Toronto, but the first in Canadian pro baseball history.

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Tags: Annex · Sports · Maple Leafs Baseball

ON THE COVER: Pitching history at the Pits (Apr. 2025)

April 22nd, 2025 · Comments Off on ON THE COVER: Pitching history at the Pits (Apr. 2025)

Ayami Sato, maybe the best female baseball player of all time, joins the Toronto Maple Leafs at Dominico Field this season.

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Tags: Annex · News · Sports · Maple Leafs Baseball

SPORTS: Christie Pits eyed as destination for baseball and more (Sept. 2024)

November 8th, 2024 · Comments Off on SPORTS: Christie Pits eyed as destination for baseball and more (Sept. 2024)

professionalize the whole operation. The ballpark was spruced up, a new sound system installed, and an eye-catching suite of new uniforms was unveiled.

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Tags: Annex · Sports

NEWS: Leafs fall in the Finals (Oct. 2022)

October 19th, 2022 · Comments Off on NEWS: Leafs fall in the Finals (Oct. 2022)

For the second year in a row, the Toronto Maple Leafs made it to the Intercounty Baseball League’s championship series but failed to take home the Dominico Cup.

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Tags: Annex · News · Sports

SPORTS: Thrilling walkoff advances Leafs (Sept. 2022)

September 27th, 2022 · Comments Off on SPORTS: Thrilling walkoff advances Leafs (Sept. 2022)

The Toronto Maple Leafs are off to a flying start in their pursuit of the Intercounty Baseball League championship.

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Tags: Annex · Sports

ON THE COVER: Solazzo slams, salutes hillsides (Aug. 2022)

August 19th, 2022 · Comments Off on ON THE COVER: Solazzo slams, salutes hillsides (Aug. 2022)

Toronto Maple Leafs third baseman Johnathan Solazzo salutes fans on the hillsides of Christie Pits after hitting a grand slam on July 24. The Leafs defeated the Guelph Royals 16-9.

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Tags: Annex · News · Sports

GRADING OUR GREENSPACE (Aug. 2022)

August 19th, 2022 · Comments Off on GRADING OUR GREENSPACE (Aug. 2022)

Every year the Annex Gleaner reviews the abundance of parks in the Annex using a variety of criteria. While there is no decisive “winner” of the grading, letter grades are assigned to convey the quality of the parks considering aspects such as upkeep, amenities, and accessibility. 

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Tags: Annex · News · Life

SPORTS: Leafs prepare for postseason push (Aug. 2022)

August 17th, 2022 · Comments Off on SPORTS: Leafs prepare for postseason push (Aug. 2022)

Entering August, the Leafs trailed the Welland Jackfish, London Majors and Guelph Royals in the league standings, but all four clubs were separated by just four games.  There is no runaway favourite to win the championship this year.

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Tags: Annex · Sports

SPORTS: Baseball Leafs navigate a new era at Christie Pits (July 2022)

July 18th, 2022 · Comments Off on SPORTS: Baseball Leafs navigate a new era at Christie Pits (July 2022)

New era. Unfinished business.
Those are the twin themes of the Toronto Maple Leafs who are in the midst of their fifty-third season of intercounty league baseball at Christie Pits.

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Tags: Annex · Sports

NEWS: Dominico’s vision changed Toronto sports history (Winter 2022)

March 14th, 2022 · Comments Off on NEWS: Dominico’s vision changed Toronto sports history (Winter 2022)

perched on top of the hillside behind home plate.  From there he was master of all he surveyed, and he let everyone know it.

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Tags: Annex · News · Sports

SPORTS: Cross-border reinforcement bolsters Leafs for playoff push (Aug. 2021)

September 8th, 2021 · Comments Off on SPORTS: Cross-border reinforcement bolsters Leafs for playoff push (Aug. 2021)

Beyond the centerfield fence, a player emerges from the Leafs’ clubhouse.  He’s late arriving to the park, but it’s not a concern.  He’s a relief pitcher and won’t be called upon until later.  He also had to cross an international border to get here.  

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Tags: Annex · Sports

LIFE: A baseball ironman of a different sort (July 2021)

August 16th, 2021 · Comments Off on LIFE: A baseball ironman of a different sort (July 2021)

It’s a Sunday afternoon in July at Christie Pits Park. Standing near the baseball diamond, Alan Ross leans back and casts his gaze around the field. “I want you to make a note that I’m doing this under protest,” he says with tongue in cheek, in response to a request for an interview. “I’m not an interesting person.” Baseball fans at the Pits would beg to differ. To many, “Al the Ticket Man,” is a living legend.

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Tags: Annex · Sports · Life