Arthur Twisters uniforms used by championship-winning Nicaraguan team

The Arthur Twisters made an unexpected appearance in Nicaragua last month … at least their uniforms did.

Laird More, an Arthur resident and director of MAC Sports, a division of Guelph-based PAN Missions Canada which does mission work in Nicaragua, was presented with a plaque by a baseball team the organization sponsors in February.

“After [a] church service we were standing around talking and this guy zipped into a back room and came out with this picture and presented it to us,” More said. “They appreciate what we give them so this was a thank-you for everything that has come and hopefully will come in the future.”

The baseball team of 7- and 8-year-olds from Managua, the capital city of Nicaragua, won the city championships in 2015. The plaque shows the team’s championship photo with all of the players, save three, wearing Arthur Twisters uniforms.

“They didn’t know that these uniforms came from where we live because we’ve given them uniforms from Listowel and Pickering and all over the place,” More said with a laugh.

The plaque will be installed in the Arthur Community Centre lobby.     

The Arthur Minor Softball Association has been giving used uniforms to MAC Sports for over a decade.

“When we have stuff and it’s time for it to move along it just gets transferred … and when it shows up down there … they can put together a team,” said Jeff McKee from Arthur minor ball.

Baseball is a very popular sport in Nicaragua and with the donated team uniforms, players are given the opportunity to look like a ball team as well.

While most children in Nicaragua play some sort of baseball, in Managua there are approximately six different baseball academies.

“[The team in the photo] is from a really poor neighbourhood …  it’s out on the outskirts,” More said. “So it’s a big thing for these kids to play on a diamond like you would see at any public school around here … For them to go in and play the city championship on a diamond like this … that’s pretty good.

“It’s pretty sweet for … a team from a little centre to go into the big city and play those guys. Yeah, it’s big … and to be the champion it’s even better.”

PAN Missions and MAC Sports support two of the academies and two adult-teams, but gives supplies and equipment to anyone in need in Nicaragua.

“In the Sports we think more of it as giving the kids a hand up as opposed to a hand out,” More said. “Helping each other, bonding, learning all those life skills that baseball teaches you.”

When the kids aren’t playing baseball they often play soccer, “there’s nothing else to do but get in trouble,” More said.

“[Baseball teams play] year round … each league will go two-and-a-half (to) three months and then they’ll have a break and a different league will start up, but their academy will go all year.”

More said donations to MAC Sports of gently used baseball and soccer uniforms, baseballs, soft balls, soccer balls, gloves, batting gloves, bats and cleats to name a few would be appreciated.

To make an equipment or monetary donation call Laird More at 519-848-3516 or email laird.more@eastlink.ca.

MAC Sports is part of PAN Missions, which is based out of Guelph and runs missions to Nicaragua. One of the mission types is to help set up a sewing cooperative for the locals to help bring income to the family. Another mission involves building a structure.

PAN Missions also accepts donations of all kinds. One of the items More said is especially helpful is milk bags. There is a group in Mount Forest as well as in other locations that weave milk bags together to make mats.  

“We went to visit a jail and there are eight guys in a cell and they’re sleeping right on the floor, there are no beds,” More said.

“So right on the concrete floor, so these milk bag mats are keeping them a little drier for one thing but they’re a little bit, a little ways off the concrete.”

To contribute a money or items visit www.panmissions.org.

 

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