League veteran trying to revive Coniston slo-pitch

For 30 years, the Coniston Slo-Pitch league was a mainstay for many area ball players.

The league was for players 45 years of age and older and was more about the fun and camaraderie between players around their shared love for the game than it was about winning or losing.

Last year, the league went belly-up due to a lack of participation. But six-year league veteran Bill Rivers is trying to get the league back up on its feet.

“Last summer was the first time that there was no season since the league started,” said Rivers. “Some of the older guys were starting to get too old to play and teams started to go by the wayside.”

The pattern of teams and players dropping out was one that Rivers saw coming but didn't think would be significant enough to break up the league.

Six years ago, when Rivers joined the league, there were six teams, which over the course of time was whittled down to just four, and heading into the would-be 2015 season there were only enough players for roughly two teams.

Rivers and some of his friends went elsewhere to play, but they didn't find the same type of game as they had in the Coniston league.

“I went and played in the New Sudbury Slo-Pitch league last summer because I just enjoy the game and wanted to play,” said Rivers. “It's different there though. The players are younger and it's a lot more competitive.”

Rivers wants to start the Coniston Old Timers League, which would play out of Coniston on Tuesday and Thursday evening during the summer, and he's hoping for a league of around eight teams.

He says that while he wants the league to be more for the older crowd, he's tossed around ideas with his friends that would allow for some exceptions in order to build participation.

“I've thought about lowering the age to 40 and up, but with the option to have some of the guys bring their sons or son-in-laws out to the team,” said Rivers. “I know that's what I'm looking at, because I've got a son-in-law who wants to come out and play, and I'd love to have him on my team.”

Rivers is shooting for the Tuesday night after May long weekend as the kick-off day for the league.

Registration fees are still being worked out, though teams are free to get sponsorships to help with league fees, and Rivers will be meeting with city staff on March 21 to hammer out details in regards to field availability.

“I'll be meeting with them to find out the costs (to rent the fields) and from there we'll be able to figure out the costs for players and teams to register,” said Rivers.

“I'll be going to the meeting on the Monday then meeting with some of my friends on Tuesday to hash everything out and we'll go from there.”

If you are interested in joining the Coniston Old Timers League, you can contact Bill Rivers at [email protected] or by phone at 705-929-1723.