User:Cleitch/The Isotopes

The Isotopes are a professional slo-pitch team based in the borough of Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. They belong to Cambridge Ice Park Co-ed Slo-Pitch's 'B' division. One of Ice Parks original franchises, the club was founded in Kitchener, Ontario in 2008 as The Anchormen and moved to the city of Cambridge in 2010 as the team took on some new talent, becoming known as The Isotopes.

Origins: The Beginning of an Era
62-year old Ed Stevenson had a vision, playing slo-pitch with his children. And his dream was realized in the summer of 2010.

Julie, the middle of 3 Stevenson kids, talked to her older brother Darren, and together they developed a plan of winning and drinking beer. Clearly, brother Andrew was all in. And just like that the Isotopes were born. The Stevensons are considered the first family of Isotopes Slo-Pitch.

2010 Season
Looking to build a franchise from the rubbles, the Stevenson family enrolled the young 'Topes squad into a tough 'B' Division in the Cambridge Ice Park Slo-Pitch league. With the weight of the tri-city on their shoulders, The Isotopes struggled in their off-season training.

The first practice didn’t go well, with Ed Stevenson taking a ball off the ankle, and being injured in the first practice in Isotopes history.

To follow up their off-season struggles, The Isotopes would go 1-4 through the relegation round, being sent down to 'C' division for the remainder of the season. A decision the Stevenson family took as a learning experience.

Once in 'C', the 'Topes decided to readjust their lineup, solidifying a few starting positions. Moving a precision glove infielder in Chad Leitch to man first base. Andrew (AJ) Stevenson was nailed into the shortstop role, after showing his strong arm and game smarts earlier in the season. All-around player Mark Bowden (MB1) was not just a 'no doubter' at the plate, but as a strong captain in the outfield, holding down centre field. April Walker was chosen for third base, after proving she wasn't afraid of anything, dealing with line drives and the bruises that came with them. April's strong arm was also a huge benefit at the hot corner. The adjustments made were the start of what was soon to become a dynasty. The Isotopes rolled through 'C' division with a 6-2 record, scoring an untouchable 72 runs in 8 games and finishing in first place in the division.

The 2010 playoffs were no different for the young squad from Southwestern Ontario, going 2-0 to start the post-season. However, the dream would come to an end. A late scheduling change would cause the final two games of the championship to be moved back one week. Team RBI leaders Mark Bowden, Chad Leitch, Dan Gazarek and manager Darren Stevenson were due in Phoenix, Arizona during the newly scheduled championship weekend, leaving a depleated 'Topes squad. Heartbroken that they had to strand their teammates at such a crucial time, the four members of the Bash Family tuned in to the streaming coverage of the semifinal game, but the international support was not enough as The Isotopes season came to an end, falling 14-11 to the Boron Bros.

2011 Season
Despite the request of the Isotopes to be put back in the 'C' divison for the 2011 season League Coordinator, Steve Duncan, decided to give The Isotopes another try at 'B'. After a strong regular season, starting off with an 8-5 record, the Topes entered the playoffs feeling good about their chances of bringing home the 'B' Division title. The team rolled through the round robin, despite the fact that the field manager didn't play because he was worried about his aesthetics before his wedding. Saturday, October 15th, Kyle Bowden and Sheila Dietrich tied the knot in the first ever Topes wedding. The following day was 'semi-final sunday'. Facing The Sandlot, a team that crushed the the Topes 17-3 just a few weeks earlier, the Topes took the field undeterred. The Topes put up a very good fight, scoring 6 runs despite a poor effort from Mark Bowden and Dan Gazarek, who went a combined 1 for 10. Darren Stevenson also had a rough outing, giving up two 3-run bombs that Matt Hummel ripped over the fence to send the Topes packing in walk-off fashion. Season 2 also ended in the semi-final, this time with an 8-6 defeat.

2012 Season
After losing a couple of star players, including Mark Bowden, the Isotopes didn't know what to expect in the 2012 season. A promising 3-2 start had the team believing 'B' Division was their destiny, but in a shocking decision, the Topes were placed in the 'A' Division. A strong appeal from Isotopes G.M. Darren Stevenson resulted in the Topes being placed in their appropriate place, must to the chagrin of Beiber My Balls. It appears the appeal has worked in the Topes favour, as they currently lead the 'B' Division with a 9-2 record, sitting first place by a long shot.

Bash Family
Mark Bowden (known as MB1 or Bash Brother 1), crushed a ball in the first practice, and everyone knew he would be the star of the team. General Manager Darren Stevenson immediately signed MB1, to a long term contract. Mark would be the first Tope to hit a home run, thus beginning the Bash Family tree.

Dan Gazarek, is the other half of the Bash Brothers, with MB1. Dan has been swinging for the fences in life and softball, and has been more successfull ON the field hitting home-runs, then OFF the field. Dan's home runs usually are singles, and 3 bases errors. But in the box-score, it is lsited as a home run.

Chad Leitch also became a member of the Bash Family in 2010. Chad has become known as Jose 50, for his ability to crush the ball, and his sweet swing. Darren Stevenson is an honourary member of the family, despite never hitting a home-run in his life, and starting the 2011 season 0-9.

Darren's lack of success at the plate changed, midway through the 2011 season. It was a moment, never to be forgotten. Darren blasted a ball to the gap in left field, it rolled to the wall, and to everyone's surprise, Darren motored around the bases for his 1st career Home Run. Amidst the excitement, Darren jumped into the fence in pure joy. It took 34 years for Papa Stevenson to hit a dinger. It was a proud moment when he was finally accepted into the Bash Family.

Natasha Dunn is a bash sister, blasting a home-run during the 2010 season.

Happy Birthday MB1
Mark Bowden not only goes 4-4 at the plate, but all 4 hits were home runs. To put the icing on the cake, he did it on his birthday.

"The Catch"
Late in the 2010 season Talyn Pride made a remarkable, snow-cone grab behind the plate to end the inning. It is simply known as "the catch".

1 Man, 2 Outs
In the opening game to the 2011 season, Chad Leitch showed no signs of rust as he made an unassisted double play at first base.

Boron Brothers
More of a friendly rivalry, The Isotopes and Boron met numberous times in the 2010 season. After Boron Brothers took the first game by a final of 13-11, The Isotopes looked toward their next meeting at the annual Ice Park Slo-Pitch Tournament where they would find redemption with an 18-8 whomping over Boron. When it came to their next regular season matchup The Isotopes were ready and pulled off a 6-5 victory to split the season series one game a piece. It was then Boron who got the final blow, defeating a depleated Isotopes squad in the third game of the playoffs by a 14-11 final.

Mulligan Gators (aka Blood, Sweat & Beers)
The 'Topes – Gators rivalry is one of the oldest, most famous and fiercest rivalries in co-ed slo-pitch. The rivalry is sometimes so polarizing that it is often a heated subject, like religion or politics, within the Ice Park family. Since the relegation in 2010, the 'C' division rivals have squared off three times, with The Isotopes defeating Mulligans in all three encounters. The rivalry is often termed the best rivalry in co-ed sports.

Weekly Lineups
Isotopes' management is widely-regarded as being the most fickle in the league. Hours (and even days) are literally wasted, while a bickering management team pores over meaningless stats in an effort to field the strongest lineup for the next game.

Players know that one good at-bat can literally make their season. A timely hit has been known to vault a horrible hitter into the lead-off spot for the rest of the summer.

On the other hand, a crucial two-out pop-up could result in the 'topes best batter riding the pine for a month.

It has been said that, had Willie Mays (who went hitless in his first 12 Major League at-bats) been an Isotope, he would have been cut from the team after two games.

Championships
None.

#16 - Barry Bowden
Barry was the heart and soul of the Isotopes defence during his one season with the club. He never missed a chance to dive off the mound to catch an errant pop-up. He is the all-time strike-out leader, and won the most "People's Jewellers Defensive Gem" awards in franchise history.

He will honoured at a ceremony during the 2011 season. 

Farm System
The Isotopes' future is widely-considered to be the best in slo-pitch. The club is already building its 2030 campaign around current batboy Brody Steinman. The three-year-old switch-hitter has only one apparent flaw -- the annoying habit of running toward THIRD base whenever batting from the right side.

The irony of having Steinman under contract is that the Isotopes' home field, the Cambridge Ice Park, is a mere two miles from where the youngster's father was reared.

Traditions
One of the time honoured traditions the Isotopes take part in is the post-game discussion at the local watering hole, St. Louis Bar & Grill. Each team member takes time to express their opinion on the play of themselves and their teammates, while enjoying delicious cuisine and refreshing beverages.

Management shows their appreciation on numerous occasions, holding team building retreats at the Stevenson estate. These retreats usually involve team activities and friendly competition. Management also takes the opportunity to honour Isotopes alumni at these events.

Fan Support
The Isotopes have loyal fans, even though the team is known for their slow starts. Fan bus co-ordinator Joel Bowey is known for his loud "let's go topes" chant. This often sets off Murdoch, the team mascot, into a barking rage.

Stephanie Watson brings her voice to the Topes frequently. Stephanie is often seen laughing at the mishaps on the field, and enjoys the beer drinking aspect of the Isotopes team motto.

Scott Zettel, a young inexperienced pitching prospect, attended numerous games in 2010, as a fan. After struggling badly in a men's league, he decided to join he Isotopes for the 2011 season.

Fans often turn into players with the Isotopes, because fans want to feel the "Isotopes experience" on the field too, not just in the stands.

CTV Sports Director Randy Steinman, is a fan who witnessed one of the greatest, most talked about plays in Isotopes history, "The Catch" (see Historical Moments).

Media
Currently, the Isotopes receive no media coverage. This is expected to change with the Spring, 2012 launch of the franchise's new 24-hour cable network.

'TOPE-TV' will feature round-the-clock information about the team, including a call-in show where anyone can phone any 'topes player at home and simply talk to them.

Facebook The Isotopes on Facebook
After popularity for the club spiked during a successful first season, the Stevenson family decided to boost fan support by joining the ever-so-trending Facebook network. Since the creation of the fan page, the organization has used the social media source to upload highlights and keep fans in the know about the current season.

Twitter The Isotopes on Twitter: @theTopes
Also new in the 2011 Isotopes season is the microblogging service Twitter. The club does not have many (0) followers as of yet, but hopes to turn that around (much like the season).

UStream.tv
During the 2010 playoffs, UStream.tv was used to stream the semifinal game between the Isotopes and Boron Bros.