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Braves take home slowpitch open gold

Who said chivalry was dead? The Alberta Braves found themselves placed in the two-team Open Division of the Canada 55+ Games slowpitch tournament Aug.

Who said chivalry was dead?

The Alberta Braves found themselves placed in the two-team Open Division of the Canada 55+ Games slowpitch tournament Aug. 16-19 — meaning they didn’t have to play any women in the gold medal final against the home-town Brampton, Old Pros squad.

That’s not the Braves’ way — like the old saying says: “You dance with the one that brung you.”

The Braves, who are the Turner Valley Braves when not representing their province, had gone to Brampton believing they were in the mixed division — they didn’t know an open division existed and why they were put there.

“The difference was we could have played with all guys — but we stuck with playing two women and two guys,” said Braves lead-off hitter and outfielder Ray Minue.

Turner Valley doubled up the Old Pros 16-8 on Aug. 20 to take home the gold medal in the open division.

Minue said the score wasn’t indicative of how close the game was.

“About halfway through, we were up by maybe two runs and then we got going again — it was a good game,” Minue said.

He said the key in the final was the slick fielding of the Braves’ second baseman 73-year-old Nick Radmanovich.

“He had problems through the week, but he had the game of his life in the final,” Minue said. “Nothing could get by him.”

The Braves went 3-4 in the round robin, which included the mixed teams, before playing the open final.

Minue was a sparkplug for the Braves throughout the tourney. The speedy cross-handed leadoff hitter had an on-base percentage of .750.

“My legs are getting older and creakier, but they still work,” the 61-year-old Minue said with a laugh.

He also made some “Pillar-type” catches in the outfield, according to a Braves press release.

“I made one of the best catches I have ever made,” said Minue, who grew up playing in Okotoks under coach Frank Lomenda. “It was a pop-up behind shortstop and I came over from left field and laid out, caught it before it hit the ground. I crashed in the ground and the ball stayed in my glove.”

He admits the Braves, who have played in the three previous 55+ Games, aren’t getting any younger.

So coming home with a medal was a pleasant surprise.

“We weren’t expecting anything, we just thought we would be playing for fun,” Minue said.

The Braves aren’t done yet. They are considering going to the 2018 Games in St. John, New Brunswick.

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