Essendon Gold Diggers in action on the first day of the baseball competition at the world’s biggest and best biennial masters games
5 November 2016
By Jasmine Rolfe
Baseball competitors are hoping for home runs at the Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games (JPPMG) this weekend and teams are excited for what is to be the biggest and best biennial games yet.
Teams have descended on the sunny Gold Coast from all reaches of the globe including Japan and Guam, as well as home grown competitors, and they all have one goal in mind which is to make runs, have a bit of fun and “Play It, Live It, Love It” with their mates.
Baseball veterans the Essendon Gold Diggers have celebrated many successes as a team since forming over 20 years ago
Baseball veterans the Essendon Gold Diggers, founded by 66-year-old team captain John Pate have celebrated many successes as a team since forming over 20 years ago.
“We put the team together in 1994 and we’ve been training ever since,” John said.
“We play at every world masters tournament and we won gold in 2013.
“Now all of us are over 50 so we decided to compete in the next level up at the JPPMG and we’re hoping for another victory!”
For the Gold Diggers, coming away with a medal and competing with mates isn’t their only inspiration to continue playing baseball at a competitive level.
Diggers teammate Peter Lane, 56, had his world turned upside down when his son, up-and-coming baseball star Chris Lane, was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting in Duncan, Oklahoma in August 2013.
Chris was playing college baseball in the small midwest town when tragedy struck, and now his father, along with the Gold Diggers baseball team are honouring his memory in the best way they know how.
“He was killed in August and we had a masters tournament in October,” Chris said.
“We had to deal with it somehow and these guys are sensational.
Despite this adversity, Chris offered some sage advice to those contemplating playing ball at the JPPMG.
“It’s just a fun sport, people should get involved, and we’ve been doing it for 18 years!”
Despite getting thumped in their first match to the tune of 16-0 against the FY Masters, the Vipers have sunk their teeth into the baseball competition and are hoping to bite back for the remainder of the competition which runs until Saturday.
Aptly named Vipers player Fiona Glover, 46, said the team comes from all over Australia and while the players haven’t trained for the event, they’re hoping to come away with some runs and good memories.
“We’re a mixed bag,” Fiona laughed.
“Some of us played in Guam last year, some we dragged up from Sydney and we haven’t trained together as a team yet.
“We didn’t want to peak too soon!”
The 10th biennial Jupiters Pan Pacific Masters Games is being held 5 – 13 November 2016 on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia.
The event showcases competition in 43 sports and is hosting 13,000 participants from Queensland, interstate and overseas.
