Canton Leisure Services Deputy
Director Jon LaFever and Youth
Recreation Specialist Laura Mortier were
recently elected to the mParks board of
directors.
Starting nextmonth, LaFeverwill serve
as mParks president-elect and Mortier
will serve as mParks board member at
large. The mParks board of directors is
responsible for leading and governing the
state advocacy association, formerly
known as the Michigan Recreation and
Park Association. Of the seven members,
five mParks board members are elected
by themembership and two are appointed
by the president upon approval of the
board.
“We're very proud that these talented
Canton Township employees are sharing
their strong leadership skills on the state
level,” said Greg Hohenberger, Canton
Leisure Services director. “Their expert-
ise and passion for the industry will help
mParks remain progressive as a parks and
recreation advocate and advance its goals
and initiatives for future generations to
come.”
Since 2001, LaFever has worked in a
variety of parks and recreation capacities
with Canton Leisure Services and as
deputy director currently oversees and
coordinates operations at several Canton
Leisure Services facilities. In addition,
LaFever and his staff are responsible for
the planning and execution of Leisure
Services large-scale special events. An
mParks member since 2001, LaFever has
been a frequent presenter at annual
mParks conference and trade shows, is a
member of the youth and teens and pro-
gramming committees, has served as the
mParks Michigan Youth Symposium chair
and was recognized as the organization
New Professional of the Year in 2006. He
is currently anmParks director at large.
Mortier has worked for Canton Leisure
Services since she was 17, starting out as a
junior day- camp counselor and now is the
full-time youth recreation specialist. She
currently oversees the operations and pro-
gramming of the B.L.O.C.K. Youth and
Teen Center, summer camps, and special
events. Mortier has been involved inmany
mParks committees and programs, serv-
ing as the chair of the youth and teen focus
group andMichiganYouthSymposium. In
addition, she was a youth innovative pro-
gram winner and member of the confer-
ence and trade show committee, diversity
committee, and most-recently the profes-
sional development committee, with the
development of a LeadHERship work-
shop series.
BothLaFever andMortier areCertified
Park and Recreation Professionals
(CPRP), overseen by the National
Certification Board (NCB) and the
National Recreation and Park Association
(NRPA). This CPRP certification is grant-
ed to individuals employed in the recre-
ation, park resources and leisure services
professions who meet the eligibility
requirements - including a combination of
higher education and/or work experience
- and who successfully complete the
national CPRPexamination.
A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
7
August 24, 2017
C
ANTON
‘Striker to the line’
Old fashioned baseball played Sundays
Area residents are invited to step back
in time and experience a series of Civil
War era baseball games featuring the
Canton Cornshuckers. This local team
will take on several Metro Detroit chal-
lengers in the Base Ball style of the 1860s,
which at the time was considered a gen-
tlemen's game of friendly competition.
The Canton Cornshuckers' play vintage
base ball at 2 p.m. Sundays in Heritage
Park, located adjacent to Canton
Administration Building at 1150 S. Canton
Center Road in Canton. Upcoming oppo-
nents include the Rochester Grangers
Aug. 27 and the Plymouth Red Rovers
Sept.10.
The players, also known as 'ballists,'
will wear reproductions of period uni-
forms and recreate the game based on
rules of 1867. The game or 'match' will be
played by two area teams using 'original'
rules of base ball, which include: no
gloves, no bunting, no foot-first sliding, or
over running first base. The team to bat
first will be determined by a coin flip or
bat toss prior to the match. Nine full
innings will be played, regardless of
which team is ahead in runs or 'tallies'.
Thematchwill use a lemonpeel base ball,
measuring 9.75 inches in circumference
and 5.75 ounces in weight. These vintage
base balls are larger in comparison to
modern baseballs, which have a circum-
ference of 9.25 inches and weigh in at 5.25
ounces.
The pitcher or 'hurler' will deliver the
ball with an underhand pitching style to
the batter's or 'striker's' request, in an
effort to ensure that the player at bat will
be able to hit the ball. Modern-day balls
and strikes are not called unless a pitch-
er/hurler fails to deliver the ball fairly.
The player/ballist will then be warned by
the umpire. If the batter/striker fails to
swing at fair pitches, he will also be
warned by the umpire. Foul balls or “foul
ticks” may be caught in the air or on a sin-
gle bounce for an out. Fair balls must be
caught out of the air for an out. Match
errors are recorded as “muffs.”
In modern baseball, a ball must cross
either third or first base in fair territory to
be a fair ball. In 1860s rules, balls are
determined fair or foul, based on where
they first land. So, a ball may land in fair
territory first, then roll 15 feet into foul
territory, and still be a fair ball. All bats
are handmade out of Ash, Maple or Birch,
oftenmade bymembers of the team.
To add to the vintage feel of the match,
every player has a nickname that they
have earned, such as: Marbles; Tex;
Teddy; Muffin Man and St. Nikk. In vin-
tage base ball, a left-handed hitter is
known as a 'wrong hander,' and a foul tip is
called a 'tick.' Outs are called as hands
down, so one out would be one handdown
and two outswouldbe twohands down.
The 1860s action also includes 'striker
to the line' (batter up) and 'well held' (good
catch), remarks encouraged from the
audience.
Photo provided courtesy of Canton Cornshuckers
Recreation directors named to state board offices
Jon LaFever
Laura Mortier
