Gearing Up for Another Sweet Season of Toronto Playgrounds House League Baseball


WITH OPENING DAY FAST APPROACHING, THE DIRTY AND LABOURIOUS JOB OF GETTING OUR EQUIPMENT READY FOR THE UPCOMING 2019 SEASON HAS BEGUN

A photo collage chronicling a small assortment of the House League and Select baseball gear that was organized and catalogued during the past month at the TP Baseball Clubhouse at Christie Pits during our annual equipment inventory exercise.

With only 43 days left before Opening Day, the Toronto Playgrounds Baseball Committee has commenced the laborious task of getting its immense selection of baseball equipment organized for the upcoming 2019 House League and Select Baseball season.

For the tenth consecutive year, TP Baseball Equipment Coordinator Paul Hum was busy as a bee during the past number of weeks taking stock of the cornucopia selection of gear that is stored in the catacombs of the TP Baseball Clubhouse at Christie Pits, in preparation for the annual equipment inventory report.

This volunteer driven offseason initiative began in 2010 and is the foundation of our annual “State of Good Repair’ equipment inventory program, whereby the committee organizes and takes stock of all of its baseball gear. 

By taking full account of our equipment (bats, batting helmets, gloves, catcher’s masks, chest protectors & shins, uniforms, pants, caps, umpire accessories, bases, etc.), we determine which gear is still useful, needs tender loving care and repair, or decommissioned.

In addition, the yearly inventory exercise also assists us in determining which older equipment we can donate to deserving organizations which are in need of quality gear for their youth baseball programs.

The highly detailed inventory data that is collected allows the committee the flexibility to determine where to allocate its limited financial resources with regards to the purchase of new baseball equipment and to get more bang from our precious dollars and cents.

As a committee member for over fourteen years, Paul wholeheartedly concedes that the equipment inventory process that he undertakes every year is a dirty, laborious and thankless task:

“Taking inventory during the winter in a clubhouse that feels like a frozen meat locker is hard and dirty work. However, I feel that it’s important that someone in the community steps up to the plate to do this job. The annual inventory equipment initiative has allowed us to make better investments in gear that benefits all of our players and coaches at both the House League and Select levels. It results in a better baseball experience and performance both on and off the diamond for everyone involved. The task is undoubtedly insane at times, but I continue to do it for the love of the game.”

A panoramic view of a well organized TP Baseball Clubhouse at Christie Pits that was the result of the annual equipment inventory exercise.