The Capital PTBO To Hold Inaugural Charity Home Run Derby For Local Sports Initiatives

Sports apparel store The Capital PTBO has announced its inaugural Home Run Derby to be held on Oct. 1 at the Kinsmen Arena ball diamond in support of local sports organizations.

Mark Million (pictured) opened The Capital PTBO in late January this year with his brother Justin. Photo by Luke Best.

The store is accepting registrations through social media private messages or by email at captain@thecapitalptbo.ca. The derby registration fee is $25 and requires participants to bring their own pitcher to throw the ball, slo-pitch style.

The all-ages event is capped at 40 batters each getting 10 pitches where the most home runs hit is declared the winner.

"This is an idea brought to us by Pete Dalliday which was an interaction brought to him by Colin Teskey and Jordan Mercier of Extra 90.5 Radio,” said Mark Million, Capital PTBO co-owner.

Prize structure, food vendors and charity proceed recipients will be announced at a later date. Million has confirmed monetary prizing and custom-made trophies for the winners. They also get their name on the store’s “Wall of Honour,” a banner hung from the store’s roof.

The event could be separated into age divisions however it is not confirmed what they are yet.

Million had remarked that he opened his store as a sports hub for Peterborough and was community-oriented in a prior interview with PTBOCanada. He is seeking volunteers for the event as is confident they will help make it a success.

“We need a lot of help,” he explained. “One thing we have known in the last six months is that when we have put a call to action out, whether to build our lending library or people with their own sports mantles that they want to put on display, we've had people to volunteer to help us out. That's the Peterborough way.”

This event is only the beginning of a series of events Million’s store wants to do for the local community.

“The Home Run Derby is the tip of the iceberg,” he explained. “We'd love to run a street hockey tournament, we'd love to do a three-point contest; all these sorts of things where we can integrate in public spaces and not-for-profit, that's the key. Everything goes back into supporting youth sports and youth initiatives.”

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